Your Faith

Can You Hear Me Now?

Now more than ever, it seems like bad news is all you hear. As an associate pastor of a thriving suburban church, each day more and more members of my congregation share with me their need for Jesus to help them through some really tough times. It saddens me to hear stories of young mothers with breast cancer, fathers out of work, teenagers addicted to pain killers and so much more. The question they ask me all the time is…will Jesus answer my prayer?

My answer is always…Yes! “I call on You, O God, for You will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 17:6) Jesus does indeed answer our prayers, but sometimes the answer is…No. Sometimes what we think we need is not a part of God’s plan. We often think we have it all figured out. We think we know what is best for us. Instead of giving us what we want, Jesus gives us what we need. When we call out Jesus’ name for mercy, we will always receive it. 1 Chronicles 17:21 tells us that, “…We must fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is very great....” The mercy we receive is rich and bountiful. Jesus might not take the cancer away, or find us another job or stop the addiction in its tracks, but He will be with us on our journey, watching us every step of the way. He will give us the strength and the courage to endure and to persevere. He gives us grace for the moment, comfort in our sorrow, and hope for our longing. This is the awesome power of prayer.

Sometimes when we pray, the urgency of having an answer becomes so stressful that we tend to lose faith if we don’t get an answer immediately. We often call on Jesus as if He were a 911 operator. We expect the same immediate response that we get from a quick phone call to apply to Jesus. He doesn’t need our 911 phone call to help us. He knows us very well. He knows what we need before we even voice it. The question is; do we have faith strong enough to move mountains? In John’s Gospel Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1) Are we able to trust God when we don’t get the answers we want? If we look deep within we will find our answer.

It’s natural to feel alone when we are having problems. No one seems to know exactly what we’re going through. They mean well, but it’s just not enough. One of my favorite images of Jesus is in the story of Footprints. The idea of Jesus carrying me through the most painful moments of my life is nothing short of awesome. But before I can appreciate this moment of joy, I open my big mouth and ask Him, “Where have You been? Why aren’t You helping me?” I speak before I think. Each time this happens though, I learn more and more about the power of faithful prayer. Being in conversation with Jesus, just like I would with any friend that I hold dear, is the kind of faith that moves mountains. Having a steady prayer life keeps me grounded. It helps me when life seems overwhelming. Instead of overreacting or stressing over the 911 moments in life, I seek His peace, His strength, and His encouragement. In Christ I can do all things and be all things. “…In Him I move and have my being.” (Acts 17:28) Thank You Lord, for being with me now and always. Thank You also, for being with those to whom I am blessed to minister.

It’s our job to spread some good news. It’s our privilege to share with others our deep love for Christ and our strong faith in the One who saves us. The prophet Isaiah tells us, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news....” (Isaiah 52:7) The next time we start to fear and tremble over life’s ups and downs…hang tight. The Master who came to bring good news is on board with us, and when necessary He carries us through. What a great feeling to know when we call 911 we get help. But it’s an even greater feeling to know Jesus is with us always and everywhere, even until the end of time.