God's Timing is Perfect....

As I have posted before, I believe in the importance of prayer. But, to dig deeper, I have learned that prayer is so much more powerful when it is specific and comes from a sincere heart. Like most things, I learned this the hard way. While I am fiercely loyal and dedicated to the people and causes I believe in, the flip side is I am stubborn and hard headed. A former co-worker often told me to be specific in prayer and to ask God for exactly what I wanted. She would also remind me that unanswered prayer is also an answer and all things work in God's timing.

So, I finally decided to try out this "specific prayer thing" my co-worker had been talking about. It was during a transitional period and a valley in our life. After a year of transition, we were financially, emotionally and spiritually drained.

But, when we looked back, we had our greatest spiritual growth as a couple and a family during this year. We also started consistently tithing. The Bible says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." Malachi 3:10. I had heard for years about tithing and that God would reward you but didn't trust it. We started to tithe, it wasn't much and we did not have it to spare. But, we were amazed how God fulfilled the promise he made in Malachi. We received random checks in the mail from insurance companies, doctor offices, the pest control company, etc. It was for overpayment of things we never knew we had "overpaid." 

I write this not to try to convince you to tithe but to tell you how God has worked in my life. How I struggled with the word and with my own faith. But, when I started to trust completely and follow His word, amazing things started to happen. After God turned our life upside down, shook us into awareness, and taught us many lessons, things started to turn around.

When we felt led to enroll our oldest in a private Christian middle school, I began searching for a full time job. Our church had a prayer request form you could drop in the offering. I often looked at it but never used it. I thought, "Who reads these?" "Do they really pray for your requests?" But, I decided to give it a try. It was the first time I had written down a prayer request and the first time I had been specific in my request. I asked for God to lead me to the right job that would benefit the family allowing me to earn enough money to cover our needs and to give me time at home with my boys.

A few days later we received the note below from the pastor with a check for $200.00. This was the exact amount of money we were short for the upcoming mortgage payment. I did not ask for money, I asked for a job. But, God knew we needed that money. I have kept the note on my refrigerator for five years as a reminder that God knows what we need and provides it to us in His timing.

 A few months later God led me to the job that answered my prayers. It was a job that was never in my plan and when I've had a long day I sometimes question why I am there. Then, I come home and see the note on the fridge and I am humbled and grateful that God's plan far exceeds my plans.

Sometimes He answers prayers immediately (when His timing is immediate), and sometimes it takes months and years for a prayer to be answered (because that is the time He intended). He always answers them in His perfect way. Just because they are not answered the way we want them to be answered does not mean they are not answered. You have to give it completely to Him and trust that He will work for your good. You might want to consider the "specific prayer thing." I promise it will surprise and amaze you in ways you never thought possible.

Grace and Peace,
Misty