God uses my prayers to shape me for His answers.
I recently cottoned onto this statement and it is proving to be alarmingly accurate! I’m reminded of a couple of situations where I’ve prayed passionate, faithful, prophetic, even authoritative prayers, with no foreseeable results.
Example 1:
In 1997, for 9 months prior to coming to Australia to train for the ministry, I was burdened to pray for Fiji. I was absolutely convinced that I would end up as a missionary in Fiji. I prayed for the people, the Christians, the cause of Christ, the fruitfulness of the land, you name it, I prayed it!
Result? I’ve never been to Fiji… yet.
Example 2:
For 2 years (2000-2001 I believe…) 3 times per week, I ran/walked around Waverley Park Stadium in Melbourne, prophesying that it would be filled with young people worshipping and praying, seeking God, repenting and turning to God, it was such a burden that I couldn’t shake it!
Result? Today, Waverley Park is a suburb full of houses where that stadium once stood. It was never filled with any young people praying or worshipping.
So what’s up with that?
Again, I say that God used my prayers to shape me for His answers. Paul says that we only see, speak and prophesy in part, but one day we will know the fullness! Again, He says that the goal of our growth is to reach maturity and the fullness of Christ.
My prayers for Fiji got me to commit to preparing for ministry, they got me to leave my home and family, they got me to Australia, they got me married to an Island Princess! I can see how God used that time of prayer to change my view on many things and to ultimately count the cost of following Him as He was calling me.
My prayers for the youth generation of Australia birthed in me, a vision for the future of the Church and this Nation, a desire to rescue a lost generation, a willingness to pray and intercede for things that are beyond me being able to accomplish alone, a Kingdom mindset was forged in me. I learnt obedience to fulfil a promise (vow) I had made, how to follow through and not give up.
These lessons have proven to be invaluable in my current assignment. The words from Isaiah 55 come to mind, about how God’s ways are so much more involved and strategic and intricate, than any ways I could see or make up.
So when my prayers seem to go unanswered, or when I can’t seem to lift a prayer burden, or when I am tired of repeating the same prayers many years down the track (I have been praying one scripture passage for 6 years now…), I am reminded of this fact:
God is using my prayers, to shape me, for His answers!