By Tina Barbour
Is there any area in your life where you have become weary of praying?
Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (KJV)
On my knees again, I was asking, seeking and knocking — just as I had been for several months — for God’s intervention in saving our broken, godless and deteriorating country. While praying, my heart was heavy as my mind thought: God, I believe you will answer this prayer, but it’s really hard when I don’t see evidence that you are hearing me.
Just then, a memory of another specific prayer came to mind: physical healing for my husband. I sensed God whispering to my heart, Remember this one? Yes! I do remember that prayer, and now, every day, I see the answer before my very eyes.
Sometimes, when we are standing constant in our belief that God will answer a prayer that we know to be His will, we become weary. Job certainly felt worn out. Almost everything in the life he enjoyed was gone — a grief so deep very few of us can truly grasp or understand it. He wrestled with why God allowed this to happen. He states, “… on the left hand when he [God] is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him” (Job 23:9).
In this passage, Job is speaking of the creation surrounding him. He could see, with his very eyes, the work of God. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not God was present; Job knew He was. The issue was Job not seeing God at work in his own life.
This verse appears about halfway through Job’s story. Here, Job had no idea of the good that God was working to bring to him, the good that you and I get to read about at the end of his story: “And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. … And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:10, 12a).
Like Job, we look to God to change the circumstances in our lives that need His intervention. Our country’s democracy, Christian foundation and constitution being violated on a daily basis. A marriage that doesn’t look like it will survive. Healing to alleviate day-after-day pain. The child who has run far from God. A job that drains every last bit of joy from your life. The addiction where freedom seems impossible.
We, too, are in the middle of stories God is still writing. And while the days of praying get long, we can trust that, based on His majestic creation around us and His prior faithfulness to us, He is also working on our behalf, even when we can’t see Him.
God has not answered my prayers yet about turning our country back around to a godly nation, but I know He is working behind-the-scenes as Christians intercede in prayer every day, reminding God of his promises. Today, let’s resolve to continue putting our confidence in Him, the One who is never shaken and always faithful.
Jesus, I’m weary today, but I will set my mind and my heart on Your past faithfulness and Your power to change all things. With You, nothing is impossible! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.