In a recent post (which you can read here) I spoke about what to do with disappointing answers to prayer, particularly when God says “no” to one of our requests. Today I want to share another prayer lesson I’ve learned recently, and that is this:
Sometimes we don’t need a miracle; we need to sacrifice.
I was recently praying for God’s financial provision for some very specific needs in our family. I was asking for a miracle, but I specifically told God that if He preferred to meet the need another way (i.e. a job opportunity or other way to work for the funds) than I was open to any answer. I wanted Him to provide, but I was willing to do my part.
My husband and I sat down to review our finances – incoming, outgoing, and the extra expenses we knew were upcoming. And do you know what happened? God showed up and provided!
No, we did not receive a sudden windfall, gift, inheritance, or any other unexpected freebies. Instead, God showed us how to manage what we had in a way that would allow us to meet our financial goals and responsibilities. Yes, it means saying “no” to certain things that are not necessities. And yes, it means giving up some things that might be “good” or “fun” but are not necessary. It also means cutting back to the basics to make sure we stay within our budget, and saying no to activities or events that cost more than we have planned.
So I encourage you today with this thought: As you are asking and trusting God to meet your needs, consider that perhaps He already has met the need and is waiting for you to do your part.
God is the provider of all that we have (James 1:17), and sometimes He does choose to meet our needs in a miraculous way. Other times He asks us to put feet to our prayers and consider the resources He has already provided.
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