For when you need a prayer answered

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.

Matthew 21:22

I’ve always been a fairly optimistic person full of hope and faith. And I’ve always believed that things aren’t over until they’re good. But it wasn’t until the last few years that I started to see the above scripture play out in my life. It wasn’t for my lack of faith, but prayer really wasn’t a part of my daily life. It felt foreign and strange and uncomfortable.

There are people out there who are champion pray-ers. They know the exact words to say to make themselves sound worthy of an answer. And that wasn’t ever me. If you’ve been following my Youtube channel or Facebook page, you know I’m not so good with the speaking thing. (What can I say, I’m better behind a keyboard.) But something a friend said to me back in high school stuck with me all these years.

Talk to the big guy like he’s one of your friends, one of your homies. It doesn’t matter what you say or how you say it, it’s just about communicating. I asked that friend then if I could pray through my journal, and he said of course. So I started doing just that little by little. But I’ve made it a much higher priority the last couple of years. Something about quitting my job and launching a company forced my faith to take on a new level. I had to have confidence in something, and I needed to believe that God was on my side.

I’ve asked a lot of things of God the last few years. Big things. Little things. Insignificant things. And because I pray through journaling, I’m able to look back and see that God does indeed hear us. And he does answer in His own time.

My mom has a friend who keeps a prayer list on her fridge. She writes out their name and their need, and when the prayer is answered, she crosses them off the list. I found that so amusing as a child. But what an amazing visual representation of God’s power in our lives.

We’ve been going through some Big Things over here lately. The last 24+ months have been some of the hardest we’ve ever faced. But as I read back through my journal, I can see the prayers being answered one by one.

Life is hard. Really hard. And like a parent with his child, God wants to give us what we want and need. And I truly believe he delivers. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.

So I challenge you today, if there’s something you need, write out the prayer. Ask for it. Hold on to that prayer. And keep faith. Someday, when you’re looking back, you’ll see that the prayer was answered somehow. It may not always get answered the way you initially hoped, but God hears us. And he wants good for us.