No, that is not a misspelling in the title to this post. We search regularly for the answers. What is better is to find the One who holds the answer. I wonder how many of you who read today are in the midst of waiting on God for something. It is likely that most of the followers of Christ have been entrusted with an unmet longing, some good thing that has not yet been grasped. Many times it is a hidden desire, holy and good, that is shared with few around us, or none at all. We sometimes feel awkward, even embarrassed, that a thing might weigh so heavily upon our heart that we wonder how well we might fare in its absence. The lonely pray for a companion. The infirm petition God for healing. The zealous seek open doors of opportunity. The hurting request their comfort. Those among us who feel that they lack will ask of their God for an endowment. At times, we hesitate before His throne of abundance, and find ourselves wondering if we might be annoying the Almighty with such pitiful requests. Should we not be praying for repentance and revival in our land? Is it not a more spiritual endeavor to seek His face for godly wisdom and depth of soul? Do we bury our guilt because we fear that asking for healing is not as spiritual as requesting grace to persevere? Welcome to the quandary of the considerate Christian. Welcome, also, to a snare from the enemy.
“From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for Him.” –Isaiah 64:4
It is important for me to assert that the hesitation you feel in prayer or about prayer is not from God, and it is not a good thing to allow to continue in your life. God is not an entity with a hair-trigger threshold for being bothered. Many of us as earthly parents find ourselves exasperated when our young children call our names repeatedly with yet another series of requests. Not so with God. I am under the persuasion that He is delighted with the activity of our seeking Him in anything and everything. Even when what we request in innocent ignorance may not be according to His will, we should never come in expecting that we might shooed away by Him. Each time we bring our needs, desires, groans and hopes before Him, it is evidence of our genuine faith. Without sounding patronizing I must tell you that I believe that your request is important to God if it is important to you. He is our Holy Father – perfect in patience, deep in paternal love, perfectly wise in His understanding – and He has commanded His children to seek Him in all the issues of life. He is honored in our petitions, as ignorant as they often are. He is pleased with our dependence and, though He may deem it wholly fit to deny or delay what we seek, we will receive something immeasurably greater in the repeated discipline of praying,
“Father, I need your help again.”
Don’t overthink your prayers. Don’t write a rough draft, send it to your mind for editing, pull out a syllabus for better phraseology, and then submit an approved copy to the throneroom of Heaven for hearty approval. We are not acknowledged by our wording of our prayers and petitions. God is not looking for finesse in our seeking of Him. He’s not going to be angry with you or disappointed with you for spiritual stuttering as you obey His call to cast your burden upon Him.
God doesn’t need to be convinced of anything before He permits you to be heard.
I employ this imagery: His place in glory has a doorway, but no door. The invitation is constant and the access is never shut off. He is never preoccupied, and you will find that He listens and speaks to you as if there was not another individual in existence that was seeking Him at the same time. Jesus Christ provided a constant and open access to the Creator of all and has authorized you to enter when you please. The only foolish prayer is the one that is failed to be uttered due to fear.
Come boldly before your benevolent God. Don’t be suspicious of His answer because it is always perfect. Don’t fear His rejection if you are accepted in the Beloved. Don’t dread His redirecting of your desires because His plans for you are much better than your own. Forbid the snare of feeble anxiety from shackling your voice and causing the desire of your heart to exist without expression. Laugh in triumph before your God. Weep in sorrow if you must. Stand in silence or raise the issue of your perplexity in life before His glistening throne. The one thing you cannot do is go another day without being heard…without hearing Him.
There is an answer. More importantly, there is an Answerer.