Monday, March 22, 2010

Don't Be Surprised!


Karen

18 comments:

Patricia said...

Karen, this was FANTASTIC!!!!!
I believe this was the BEST devotion I have ever heard or read on the subject of praying with faith & trust!!

AMEN, my friend, AMEN!
Have a blessed day!
HUGS!!

Jan said...

Remarkable insight Karen! I think sometimes when we pray it is our "hope" that it will be answered, but I am not sure we really "believe" it will. Thanks for making me think today!

Angie Muresan said...

Thank you Karen for that beautiful message of prayer. I am surprised when my prayer isn't answered, rather than when it is. Then I examine myself.

Karen Hossink said...

Patricia - Thank you. I absolutely love it when God opens our eyes and gives us insights!

Jan - Yes. Sometimes I find myself feeling "amazed" at what God has done. And then I think, I really shouldn't be surprised. It's GOD working! I should simply expect that He is always doing amazing things. Because He is!

Angie - I know. When God doesn't answer my prayer the way I had hoped or expected, I have no choice but to examine myself and determine to trust that HE knows what is best.

Beth Herring said...

God is amazing!

km said...

I loved this! Thank you. Yes...I am praying for something....and as we near the 6 month mark of unemployment it's harder to maintain hope. I do expect God to show HIS glory. There are so many who are praying with us too. I can't wait to see how HE answers.

Karen Hossink said...

Beth - Yes, He is!

KM - But even in the midst of the waiting, you have seen His glory, haven't you? I'm thinking of your "Given" list. And I have to believe God is working some pretty amazing things in you during the wait.
He is providing. He is working. He is answering. Maybe not in the way or at the speed you were hoping, but His ways are perfect.
Keep holding onto Him, my friend!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

I fully believe in the power of prayer and that "things" happen that might not otherwise happen should we forego our petitions to the heavenly Father.

That being said, the answers aren't always what I expect, but I can trust in the truth of that answer because it comes from a perfect place of wisdom and understanding that I don't possess.

Great teaching. You have a Jesus-full day as well.

peace~elaine

Karen Hossink said...

Elaine - That's right. Even when the answers are not what we expect, we can trust. Because God's wisdom and understanding are perfect.
And there are several occasions I can recall when God did NOT answer my prayer in the way I had hoped. But in retrospect, I was so glad He didn't!

km said...

Oh so true! He is blessing us in the process. I have to focus on the answers that come daily instead of just on the big one that's ahead of us.

luvmy4sons said...

Love it. We just finished studying this chapter in our small group. I am not usually surprised when He answers yes to my prayers...I am often surprised IN THE WAY He answers them. And oh so often I am surprised at how blessed I am at the no answers. I think it is true that we should be careful of what we ask...He just might give it to us! LOL! Great message!

Karen Hossink said...

KM - *grin*

Leslie - Ah, yes! There are blessings in the 'no,' and we are doulby blessed if we can see them!

gianna said...

okay, number 1, I am on your Blog List. I am so honored!
Number 2: We have a Sunday School teacher who happens to be a Bible professor at Northwestern College in St. Paul (and he was MY professor; now he is my friend--THAT was a hard adjustment!). Anyway, he told us that God can answer a prayer 4 different ways, and 3 out of the 4 are actually.

Way 1--No, I'm not going to do that.
Way2--Yes, That was my plan all along.
Way 3--Yes, But I am not going to answer it in the way you are expecting.
Way4--Yes, But you need to wait on me in my timing.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that viewpoint.
thanks for encouraging me to believe that I have a huge God!

Karen Hossink said...

Gianna - Number 1 - Yes. Did you see Amanda's post recently, encouraging us to update our Blog lists? That's when I realized you weren't on mine, so I fixed it. *grin*
Number 2 - And I wonder why we only say 'God answered my prayer' when the answer is Way2. Hmmm...
Love you!

Anonymous said...

Karen, I can't tell you how much I loved this. And how TRUE it is in my life. I pray constantly to my Father, but sometimes it's like going through the motions and I really don't believe that He's going to grant me my request. He wants us to pray that way - he sure made that obvious in the scripture you just read. Thank you for this wonderful insight!

Karen Hossink said...

Sal B - I am so convinced that we need to be aware that God often grants our requests in ways we were not expecting. We need to be watchful and ready!

Edie said...

Have you ever noticed that when I come to visit I usually hang around and catch up on what I've missed over here? If you think it's because I have nothing else to do then I'm sorry to have to break it to you that that's not the case. :D

I am pretty sure God wanted me to see this video today. I knew the story you were going to read before you even said because God has been bringing that one to my attention quite a bit lately. I still can't figure out why they would think it was an angel and not Peter. I wouldn't have guessed an angel. LOL!

I have been praying for a miracle lately, a big miracle. A specific miracle but not in a specific way. I have talked with God about how big it is to me even though to Him is is not. It is beyond my ability to understand any way that God could answer so it's easier to believe that He probably won't.

I have been thinking a lot about how sometimes God answers in ways that appear very logical and sometimes in ways that appear miraculous. Should I do something or be still and wait?

It didn't escape my attention that my back went out on the very day that I decided to do something. Needless to say, it has left me forced to be still and wait.

So sorry to write my post in your comment section. :D Just pondering the ways of our Most High God.

Thanks for this my friend.
Shalom...

Karen Hossink said...

Edie - I'm so glad you took time to ponder the ways of our Most High God here! Then the blessing He is revealing to you can be shared with all of us.
And I love the insight He gave you about the do and be still and wait choices. Sometimes God forces our hand, doesn't He!