Mark 11:22-24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Jesus assures us that God does hear and answer our prayers. Does he always answer in the way we want him to? Not all the time. A good father knows what his child needs and I believe God tailors the answer out of his infinite wisdom.

I have had many answers to prayers in my lifetime, some so immediate that they took my breath away. In other cases, it took years as God walked me through to the result he wanted for me. And yes, I have gotten impatient and had to ask for forgiveness. I have had to learn that God’s timetable is not mine, and God does not allow his children to manipulate him.

One of the most amazing things I have learned is that God is completely trustworthy and his Holy Spirit has been gracious in coaching me. Once I was asking the Lord to prepare me for a meeting with a friend who was going through serious challenges. This, in part, was the immediate guidance I received:

“This is the word you need to hold on to: Nothing has ever been impossible for me and nothing will be. It is I who change and rearrange all things as they are supposed to be. My Spirit will be with you to accomplish that which I please. You will not be alone for I have seen and I have heard this daughter’s pleas and anguish of soul. I am the deliverer of my people. I am not deaf or blind and my hand is not short, it has never been. I the Lord God undertake to change the situation.” 

I could only shout: Hallelujah! Together with another friend the three of us met and we prayed. All I can tell you is that God has done a mighty work in the life of our friend over the years. In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus prefaced an illustration of the power of persistent prayer by telling his disciples that they should always pray and not give up. So dear friend, always pray with confidence in a God who hears.