Striding in the Sunshine or Soaking in His Grace?

 By Laura Muckerman
Stonecroft Staff Writer


These days, I find myself praying more frequently than ever for the Stonecroft staff and our families, and I hope you will, too. So many of us are affected by serious illness in our families.

I have to confess that when I pray for God’s help, either for myself or for someone I love, I want deliverance from trouble, not spiritual growth through trouble. I want the medical test results to be good. I want the difficulty to end. I want the pain to go away—now!

But often God’s answer—and He always answers—seems to be either “no” or “wait.”

Scripture has much to say about why God allows trials, but if He were to give us a simple, elementary-school-reading-level explanation, it might be something like this:

“In the sunshine, My children stride down the road of life.

“In evening shadows, My children raise a quick prayer, then cautiously step forward.

“But in torrential rain, My children pause beside the road and cry out to Me for help. And, though they may not know it, people who love them are calling out to Me on their behalf, too.

“As I hear these cries, I rush to gather My children in My arms. When they fix their eyes on Me, their fear gives way to trust, and their weakness becomes a showcase for My strength. If the storm lingers, their rain-soaked faces resemble the Savior’s a little more each day.”


Let’s pray for health and happiness, hoping the answer is “yes.” Let’s remember, though, that if God answers “no” or “wait,” it’s because He not only does amazing things for people, but in people and through people who learn to wait on Him.

 
How have you seen God answer “yes” to your prayers? Have you seen God working through difficulties or health struggles? How do you pray for those in crisis? Please share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” (below) to respond.