Understanding Answered Prayers:
Isaiah 55:8-9 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Do you wonder where God is when you pray and ask for His help? He is listening to your heart. For He alone knows what our future holds and how to bring about the best for us.
I have followed my prayers and I am still not sure where I am going but I do know God loves me and knows me better than I know myself.
I had night mares / terrors as a small child maybe 6 years old. My Mom and Dad would get angry because I couldn’t stand sleeping alone. One night I remember clearly saying God I can’t stand to dream any more please don’t let me dream. I told my Mom about this prayer. I didn’t dream so as I could remember after that until I recently asked for them to be restored. Now they are more like visions; I am looking at what God is showing me.
The next one I remember clearly I was maybe 11 or 12. I played the Morocco’s for my grandmother’s church. The thought came to me “I wish I could dance one more time”.
The next thing I remember I was at the back of the church not knowing how I got there. My dad asked me “how did you get there doing that”? I’m still not sure what I did.
The next one came about after I was married to my husband. I asked God one day when he would believe. Very clearly I heard His voice say “he isn’t ready yet”. Strangely I simply said “alright”. I didn’t question or stammer.
The next one was when my daughter was maybe 8. She had a way of pushing my buttons until I would get angry; she then was fine. On this day I looked up and screamed “what am I supposed to do”? Again a voice said “you just love them”. Oddly this voice sounded like some one I remembered. A very nice man who had passed away and I was told by his wife that he was asking for me when he died. Again I respond “OK I can do that.”
The next prayer that came was on realizing how my behavior affected those around me. I sat down on the side of my tub and said “God I don’t like me fix me.” I felt the most amazing spirit of love that I have ever felt and said “this is what real love feels like.”
The truly amazing thing is I was in sin during all these prayers. God meets us right where we are.
Isaiah 1:18-19 Come now, and let us reason together says the Lord, Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat of the good of the land.
I started to do research only not in the Bible God’s word. He did send me a verse early then. My marriage was in the tank and to my surprise I got this verse. Remember that I didn’t know much of the bible especially where to find a verse other than John:3:16.
1 Corinthians 7:12-14 (the whole chapter is about marriage though) But to the rest I , not the Lord say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13) and a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 for the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing spouse otherwise your children would be unclean but now they are made holy.
Still I was in sin but praying! I walked into false doctrines. Looking for the God of love. (I didn’t like the one in the bible who killed people.)
Still God answered!
My mom got lung cancer. I was awakened one morning with “call your mom”. I thought its way to early I’ll wait. I kept getting prompted by “call your mom”
When I did my step father said she was sleeping. My sister emailed a little later that mom was real bad. I called again and was told she didn’t want to talk so I asked “do you want me to come” she said yes. Now I had not left my kids alone with my husband before but by now they were 19 and 16.
I went to stay and help with my mom. I was there for long periods of time. All the while feeling unloved except by God.
My marriage got worse but I did learn a hard lesson; I could survive without my family and they could survive without me.
This whole time was a learning struggle with God answering prayers and giving guidance in many different ways. I was growing to trust Him with even the smallest things in my life. At one visit home I didn’t hear His guiding voice all the time and I got very upset and was asking and crying about it. God’s answer was “you learned all that and now know it now, ” I said but I like hearing You, being near.
After my mom passed away and I returned home. Things did improve a little but then became worse again.
My son had begun to use drugs. This escalated to trips to the hospital and not knowing what was going to happen to him. The first one he was out of it for about 3 days but in my prayers God promised he would be home for Christmas. The next time was right after his graduation. This time was worse it lasted 3 months and we didn’t know what was going to happen. God brought us all through.
I wanted to go to massage school because I felt God had given me a healing gift. God made a way and even directed me to the school. Oddly enough they had just started the program. God walked me though studying and passing with flying colors. One test I was trying to study with a friend and it just wasn’t working suddenly a loud siren like noise went off in my head (really loud ) so I thanked my friend and headed home. I sat down opened my book and said “Ok how do I learn this.” With in an hour God had guided me on how to remember what I needed. There is no need to small for God.
I got out of massage school and asked God about a place I could afford to rent to work. Again He provided within a short time. My marriage got worse but I loved what I was doing. We were in so much debt over 120K of credit card debt. Finally things came to a head and we discussed divorce. My husband then realized how bad the debit was. God lead us through steps to getting out of this debt in a little over a year. Yes, again God is amazing!
I was still doing sinful things!
I got a date of June 30 that year for the next trial.
When I would walk the dogs I would sing the song Just a closer walk with thee. I would hear God’s voice say, “Jesus on that main line tell Him what you want.” I was so happy my family was doing well we were out of debt. My marriage was still not good. Each time I heard this I recited all the wonderful things God had done for me and said, “Lord You have done so much for me I want a closer walk with you.” For about 6 months I was so happy. Then June 30 came around and without understanding I stepped into my next trial. Seeing where I was and that it was not where God would have me be. I could not know Jesus and get closer to Him in the sin I was in.
I will stop here for this is where the true journey to knowing Christ began.
You see Jesus is our Shepherd He does come to find us and He loves us. We ask Him and He will answer. What I saw and did I will forever be ashamed of but I will always be grateful to My Lord and Savior for what He has taught me. I will begin the next part of the journey with you soon. It is a side of God that we all should know because it is still in His love for me that He walked me through and corrected me.
God is Love.
