The God Who Answers Prayer...In His Own Time!

After almost two years of searching, Kim has landed a permanent job.  She will be working as the administrative assistant to the director of a church-run pre-school/daycare in Metuchen, NJ (actually at the Assembly of God church there!).  This is very good news for us—especially for Kim.  After all, it had become quite tiresome for her as she filled out tons of applications, went on interviews, and did all those things associated with a job hunt.  Anyone who has been through the process recently, knows it can be stressful and at times quite discouraging.  

Since moving to Monmouth County to pastor Shrewsbury First Assembly, we have been praying that God would provide just the right job for Kim.  After all, it was hard for her to leave her job in North Jersey where she knew the people and the systems and loved the environment in which she was working.  We have been praying that God would put her in a place that would provide for our needs, use her skills, and be the right work environment for her (especially since she is also a pastor’s wife).  We’ve been praying that God would open the right door and bring her job hunt to an end.  And, we believe God has answered our prayers—just not as quickly as we would have liked him to!

Have you ever thought to yourself, “God is sure slow in answering my prayers”?   Or, maybe you’ve wondered whether or not God is actually listening to you as you pray. You may have been praying for something for a long time, but the answer seems not to come and you find yourself getting worried, anxious, and even upset.  I know such has been the case for me many times in my life.  And, over these past couple of years, Kim and I have wondered why God seemed to close so many doors and not open upon another one—at least not when we wanted him to! 

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  (Philippians 4:6 – NIV; emphasis mine) Notice he doesn’t say, “Tell God what you want and when you want it!”  He very simply says, “present your requests to God.”  The implication is that we simply leave our needs in his hands, believing that he will do what is right for us at just the right time.

I can’t say that Kim and I never became anxious about her job hunt.  But, I will say that we did pray, believing that God would answer our prayers, even if it meant in his own time!  And, he has done just that. 

 

I want to encourage you today to bring whatever needs you may have to God in prayer. Believe that he hears you as you pray. And, believe that he will open the right door at just the right time! 

“What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!  What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!” (Joseph M. Scriven)

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris