Have you ever been in a struggle and cried out to God for help only to find out your prayers went unanswered? I remember years ago a pastor told me to cry out to God in the midnight hour of my crisis and He would answer my prayer. He told me God is always on time and He would never let you down no matter what you’re facing. That quote has stuck with me over the years and I remember one period of my life I came into a crisis and I was in the mid night hour. I cried out to God as my good pastor friend had instructed. Well friends the mid night hour came and past with out assistance from God. I thought that God had forgotten all about me and the crisis overwhelmed me. My faith was shattered and a bitterness grew in my spirit, because my mid night hour request to God went without being answered. I felt that in the mist my pain and crying out to God for help He let the crisis overwhelm me. The bitterness began to come out in my attitude toward others and it crept into other relationships. I was becoming a bitter man that began to have the belief that God had abandoned me. As the bitterness set in, so did emptiness in my spirit and believe it or not I was out there performing puppet shows in the name of our Lord.
Looking back on that period, I have to admit that God answered my prayers and heard my crying out to Him. What I failed to understand was that God wanted to answer my prayer by transforming my attitude.
In Luke chapter one and verse 24 Elizabeth states “The Lord has done this for me, she said, In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people”. Now to put things in perspective, Elizabeth wanted to have children, but could not because she because she was barren. Elizabeth and her husband prayed for children so they could be like every one else in the community. No matter how much they tried Elizabeth would not get pregnant and now she was beyond the years of bearing children. Elizabeth praised God and thanked him for removing the shame she felt because she was not able to have children. In the mist of her youth God choose not to answer her prayer and give her a child in her later years. Her ability to have children had diminished because of her age, and she went about serving God while seeing her deepest desire go unanswered.
God heard her prayer and answered it in His own time but more importantly for His divine purpose. When we cry out to God no matter what is, He has a divine purpose to address that cry.
In the mist of a crisis we want answers right away and if we are not careful we can find our selves holding God to a mid night resolution. God taught me a lesson through my crisis and it was simply this to praise Him for the results and not get caught up in the process. The process of how God will work out the situation that is in his hands. My crisis taught me also, God concern is not about the crisis, it is about your own state of affairs. God is really concerned where we are spiritually, emotionally, and that we have the ability to wait on him with praise on our lips. Unanswered prayers hope and desires are in the hands of a loving God. I also learned when we are in darkest hour God is hard at work resolving the crisis.
During my crisis, God concern was that I had to be transformed, and the prayer I was seeking an answer for could be put on hold. As I look back on it now, God had some great plans for my life and my attitude had to adjust so I could receive what He had for me. God wanted to pour so much into my life, that the very thing I was praying was small compared to how He answered my prayer.
This Christmas season you might be going through a crisis like so many people around the world. However through it all remember this Bible verse which is found in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” God knows what you are going through, and His eyes are fixed on your situation. God wants to answer your prayers with a divine purpose that will transform you, your family, community, and city. His plan is not only to bring you out of the crisis but just like with Elizabeth, God wants to grant you that long heart felt desire. When we are caught up in praise, then it is easy to move by faith, because as it states in Hebrews 11 and verse 1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. God is answering your prayer right now and just like Elizabeth, you will be praising God when answer your request manifest itself. Just remember this week, God care more about you than the crisis you are facing at this time. Have a great week.
Mike
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