Slow learner

Several nights this week I went to bed with a series of small problems in my mind. Instead of sleeping, I wrestled with those little issues. Instead of giving them to God, I tried to solve them myself. Oh, I did pray, but then tried to figure out the answers to my own prayers. 

Each night I finally fell asleep without solutions, and each morning woke up tired, but with a clear answer in my head. Some would say that my subconscious mind solved the problems, but I don’t give my brains any credit. God promises to answer prayer, and He will do it if I get out of the way and let Him.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

These favorite verses outline the kind of praying that lets a person go to sleep at night. When I prayed, I was “being anxious” which indicates that I wasn’t thinking about the power of God and His promises to answer my prayers. Also, I wanted the answer before I went to sleep and fussed that it was not forthcoming. 

Thanksgiving was missing too. When I pray with thanksgiving, it shows that I am confident in God. Not only will He answer my prayers, but He gave me the problem for good reasons, particularly that I might draw close to Him. Instead of doing that, I was exploring my own mind and experience in my search for solutions. Duh.

For those reasons, the peace of God didn’t guard my heart and mind. Instead of trusting Him to answer me in His way and His timing, I struggled to answer my own prayers and was tired all week. After being a Christian for many years, I thought I knew better. However, knowing what to do and actually doing it can be separated by a very long night.

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Lord, I’m almost laughing at myself, at least in between giving my backside a few swift kicks. You are gracious and helped me with all these issues, but isn’t that Your faint chuckle and small whisper I hear saying, “Will this gal ever learn!”