As I was making my drive into work today God had laid some people on my heart to pray for. He also had laid some situations going on in my own life that I was in deep prayer about. But in the midst of that prayer He also began to speak to me about the prayers that we pray. Most of us (if you grew up in church or have been in church for a while) have heard that when it comes to God, you simply ask and receive. And this statement is 100% true, but that's not the end of the statement. And that is what God was working with me about today.
One of the things I pray for often, over myself and other, is strength, knowledge and wisdom. I often ask God to give me strength to get through a situation....or give me wisdom about a situation. And this morning I felt God speaking to me as I once again asked for those things. It was like He was saying "I supply it all the time Chad, to you, to others...my strength and wisdom is right there". And because God knows exactly how my brain functions He immediately put an image in my mind of a person laying in front of a well. The person was completely dehydrated and literally so close to death. They were leaning against the well and almost looking over the edge of the well at the water below. And as I pictured this in my mind, I of course had the thought of "how crazy would it be for this person to die of dehydration when all that water is right there. What are they waiting for?" And this is when I heard God say "They are waiting for me to give them the water." And in that moment I was almost in tears as I realized what God was saying. He was saying it would be sad for that person to die, when all they had to do was get the water that I had already supplied to them. And I knew He saying that this is how we handle our prayers to Him so many times. Whatever we are dealing with...a temptation, a situation, a hardship, our emotions, a physical pain...whatever it is, we will go to Him and ask for strength, wisdom, knowledge or healing, but then we don't look for and apply what God is supplying to us. We ask for wisdom (knowing God will supply it) and yet we don't apply it in a situation, we use our own. We ask for healing, and yet we go around continuing to complain about the problem, instead of receiving the healing and walking in it. We ask for strength, and yet we keep putting ourself in a vulnerable place the we know can call us to fall to own weaknesses. We ask and ask and ask God....but we sit at the well and stare at the water. He is saying "it's right there, just reach out and get it. I supplied it, now you apply it!
Today God didn't give me a bunch of scripture to reference or a bunch of words to write. He just simply wanted me to get the idea across that He will supply what we are praying for, but sometimes there is a part that we HAVE TO do to receive what He is supplying. Obviously I don't know anyones situation that may be reading this blog today, but I do challenge you to ask God "What am "I" supposed to do? Are you waiting on me God? Have you supplied, but I just have not applied?" And then LISTEN for God. I can't stress that enough. Our prayer time should be spent listening to God just as much, if not more, than talking to Him. When we spend time listening, we learn how to hear Him. And when we learn what He sounds like when He speaks to us we learn that He speaks to us more than we ever realized. And that is a beautiful thing!
God, Thank You that you do supply our needs when we bring them to you. Help us to release all control to You and fully trust you with whatever we are praying about. Help us to look and listen for Your answers to our prayers....and then help us to apply them! Please Holy Spirit guide us so that we are moving our lives in the direction of God's will, so we can KNOW that Your answers lay before us, because we are moving in the right direction. And God, please help us filter out ANYTHING that the enemy is using to block us from hearing you or receiving blessings from You. In Jesus name, Amen
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