Recently, my daughter and I were talking about my granddaughter, who broke both bones in her leg about mid-shin in late March. It was her first--and last--soccer game of the season. She's still in a cast, although she did finally get a below the knee cast about 3 or 4 weeks ago. We were saying how it had been so long now, almost 4 months, and it seemed like it would always be that way. We can't see any change with our physical eyes.
Of course, we know due to x-rays taken at her most recent doctor appointment that the bones are healing well. We are hopeful that she'll get a walking cast soon. I hope so. She's so tired of crutches, and at times a wheelchair. Not being able to participate in summer activities is getting really old. It's a bummer for anyone, but especially for a 12-year-old girl.
God used this little conversation to remind me that we often doubt He is doing anything about what we pray for. After all, we don't see any changes, so He must have put our request in the file cabinet to revisit later, if at all, right?
Wrong! God is working behind the scenes. In Isaiah 55:8-9 He says:
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
He doesn't act like we humans do, procrastinating or setting our needs aside. He has a plan for each of our lives. And He hears our prayers. A couple of places this is evident are in the Psalms:
"O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me." Psalm 30:2
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all." Psalm 34:19
Also, in Philippians we are encouraged to pray and trust God:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4: 6-7.
I don't know if anyone else needed this reminder, but I sure did! It's been a long process for my granddaughter. I've also had some other pressing concerns and seemingly unanswered prayers that have made me question why He has delayed in answering.
I've actually been kind of down. Not exactly depressed, but not joyful either.
So I decided to put this out there, just in case someone else needed to be reminded that God is at work on your problem!
We're only human, and we get discouraged. But take heart! As Jesus said:
"In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
