Have you ever had an unusual answer to a prayer you did not expect? As you read the Scriptures, you see God responding to people’s prayers in ways they could not imagine. God saved the Israelites by parting the Red Sea, and when the Egyptians pursued them, the sea closed around them. The family of Lazarus prayed for his recovery, but he died, and several days later, Jesus raised him from the dead. A pastor friend prayed to grow in humility and was fired from his job because of anger issues. Through this situation, he grew in humility and overcame his anger issues, but the process was not what he had expected.
Sometimes, we have unrealistic expectations about how the Lord should answer our prayers. Our thinking is not like the Lord’s, and we are often unprepared for the answers we receive from Him. Many times, his answers can look more like problems than answers.
Sometimes God Answers Our Prayers With Earthquakes
Paul and Silas had been imprisoned unjustly but made the best of their situation. While most people would complain as they sat in stocks in a dungeon, they prayed and sang praises to God. God did something unexpected while the prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas.
Acts 16:26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” [1]
When Paul and Silas prayed, I don’t think they expected an earthquake to get people’s attention, but this happened. Isaiah gives insight into how God thinks. Isaiah 55:8My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. [2] God can answer prayer in ways we couldn’t ask for or imagine. Our job as believers is not to figure out what God will do but to trust and pray. God’s job is determining how and when He will deliver us from our circumstances.
Trusting God
Hebrews 11:1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”[3] We may not always grasp what God will do as we pray, but we know He will answer our prayers in His way and timing.
The Lord knows what you are going through at this very moment and what twists and turns await you in the future. God knows the best way to work through every situation that will be the best for you. All we need to do as God’s children is trust Him no matter what and follow His path. To learn more about an unusual answer to prayer, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/singing-in-jail
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.