This is a little something I wrote last week... I had been having a lot on my mind and something I'll do periodically is write it out. My feelings, convictions, everything; I just sit down and start typing. I'm not sure how this forum is divided regarding religion, so for the non-believers, this post may be of little interest to you. Still, if this post reaches out to just one person, it's worth sharing. I shared it on Facebook the other day and received tons of feedback, many people relaying to me how it inspired and motivated them. So, I figured I'd share it with you guys, and I welcome any opinions, feedback, etc.

Without further ado...

Unanswered prayers, or unintended blessings?

How is your day? Is it an “up” day, or a “down” day? How about your week? Your month? Your life?

Happiness and effectiveness within our life can be paralleled to the stock market. Within any given day, there are high points and low points. The same goes for a monthly analysis. Same for years, even to the extent of the whole life of a company. Ups, downs -- truth is, it can be all over the place. The goal, however, is for a net gain over time.

No, this isn’t going to be a market analysis, so you can put down the Excedrin. The point of all of the above is to simply highlight how we perceive God’s work in our life. Good days, bad days… they’re going to happen. But when you trust that God is at work in ALL times, in ALL areas of your life; you begin to look at life through a different lens.

All throughout life, I’ve prayed. Often it’s the small prayer of thanks and blessings extended over a meal, or before slipping under the covers for a night’s rest. Other times, there is a substantial situation at hand: prayers for life in times of illness, prayers for companionship in times of loneliness, prayers for abundance in times of poverty, and prayer to be a useful tool in God’s kingdom. You know, the prayers that you don’t take lightly… the prayers over situations that normally keep you sleepless and keep your stomach in a knot.

Know this: God always responds. How he responds will dictate our mood, as selfish as that may be. Sometimes we put God in the same class as a Santa Claus, asking for things we hope to receive, so we can lead a life we hope to live, at the comfort level we expect. If these prayers go unanswered or unfulfilled, we get bitter. We get impatient. Sometimes, even angry. We try to cram God into a box to fit our image of what our needs are, ignoring that we are His creation designed to fulfill His will on Earth.

And speaking of His perfect plan, His perfect will on Earth; unanswered prayers… indeed they are some of God’s greatest gifts.

I look back at some of the more crucial moments in life… moments when I had white-knuckled my life into a given situation, and needed help. God’s help. And I prayed prayers for God to straighten things back up, and return them to normal. “Normal” being my state of happiness prior to my disastrous handling of the situation. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than for God to grant me results in the way I had imagined, and I would soon become disappointed. My heart underwent many times of anguish when “the one” failed to meet my standards of Faith. I became disappointed in God because I thought only of my immediate wants. Only later (years later) to become very, very thankful for Him remaining firm to His plan for me. How thankful I am now that I didn’t end up marrying ______, or selling myself out to ______, or getting trapped with _______.

My good friend and one of many role-models, Jim Wideman, said it brilliantly (and I’m paraphrasing slightly): “You pray for a relationship to work out, and it didn’t. Years later, you see that person at a reunion and discover that she’s one of those ‘four or five sandwich gals’ and then you thank your lucky stars for God blessing you with the beautiful woman HE had planned for you all along.” Hilarious, but accurate. That is merely one example in a sea of situations, but you get the idea. If God granted you everything your little heart desired, your life would be an absolute trainwreck. Instead, God in His perfect wisdom will allow certain things in your life, but will shield you from others. Only God knows the difference between what we want and what will actually bless our lives. We are His plan, His Creation, His glory.

Answered prayers eventually turn into another big Bible word -- testimony. Those are easy. Pray, get results, brag about God. He gets glory, you get blessed, and you tell many thirsty souls about the joy. Everyone wins. Those are the ‘sprinkles’ on the overall cupcake of Faith.

But what about those God events that blind-side you? The ones that most folks simply call “good luck” or “coincidences”. I’ve got news for ya, a coincidence is nothing more than when God chooses to remain anonymous… believe that. To remain consistent, I’ll pick on the companionship reference again. I spent many years dating, using only the tools I had acquired over the years; my game, my wisdom (all laughable in the grand scheme of things). Several months back, having just pulled myself from the burning wreckage of yet another failed attempt, I gave up. I quit. I became a recluse. I simply said to God, “it’s in your hands now”.

It wasn’t immediate… nowhere near it. I spent many nights wondering if God had forgotten. But months later, Hailey came into my life (suddenly, and boldly) and absolutely blessed me to no end. She is a woman after God’s heart, a true Proverbs-31 woman. She loves children, loves family, and miraculously loves each and every pastime I enjoy. Each and every cultural item (music, etc). To say we are equally yoked is an understatement. I KNEW she was from God, no other way to put it. Never before have I prayed daily with anyone else. Never before have I worked alongside my girlfriend in Children’s ministry. Never before have I been in a relationship that commits itself to honoring God the Father. On each and every front, we were designed for each other. THAT is a God event.

And even on another front: years ago, I was volunteered to help out with the children at my church. That’s right, I was signed up by someone else because they thought it would be good for me. I wanted no part of it because at that time, I was all about “me”. All about “self”. In a very short time, however, my feelings shifted. What used to be a daunting task of an obligation is now the very thing that brings me the most happiness. Seeing the children light up when they praise God, and knowing that I’m part of a child’s moldable walk with Christ… THAT is a blessing and an honor like no other. And it was completely unrequested. Now, it’s completely necessary for me to be happy in life. When I don’t serve the church and the children, my week suffers.

Knowing the difference between unintended blessings and unanswered prayers is crucial, but knowing that our Father in Heaven is always in charge – no matter what – is even more important. And finding joy in that revelation, finding peace in seeing His plan executed in your life… that’s the mortar holding the wall of Faith together. Praise God always, even in the storms. Especially in the storms. Know that He is in charge and has great plans for you.

When the clay is soft, it compliant. God is the potter, we are the clay. Bend for God, and He will turn your life into a masterpiece. His masterpiece.

Bless you all...