Let the Children Come to Me (Part 6): Pray, Wait, and Trust
Wait and pray, pray and wait, this is our calling. And to these we add trusting in God.
There are times when God changes hearts rapidly. He can bring dramatic events into our lives that forever change us. But from what I see around me (especially in parents who have prodigal children), these events likely come about after much prayer. In addition, these life- changing events are the beginning of the change process, not the culmination of it.
Pray: In our western mindset, we often come to prayer as a last resort. But for Moses, Joshua, Jesus and others, it was the first step not the last step. Even Joseph in Pharoah’s court shows us it is best to pray and seek wisdom rather than just doing things and hoping for the best. Many times, we plan, try to get things to work, and then pray. God’s plan is not like this. He desires us to be in constant communication with Him; that’s His plan for us. For example:
“...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. […] keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints...” Ephesians 6:18
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Prayer is certainly our underutilized resource. The devil hates when we pray because he understands that God hears and answers us. So, the devil will use all means possible to keep us from serious, fervent prayer. Be aware of the battle.
Wait: God has a schedule that we can’t see. The timeline we set is often much shorter and more invasive than what God has in mind. God is gentle, works slowly, and works in the heart—deep, invisible, important and unhurried. This means we need to wait. What waiting does to our western, achievement-oriented, solve-it-now heart seems like torture. But it is not. Our “hurry mentality” is in play here; often we need to slow it down. One of the verses I find very difficult to receive and embrace is Psalm 27:14:
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
This is our calling. This is our task. Pray, Wait and let God work.
Trust: One of the most difficult parts of waiting is that we must trust God. Like many of you, my tendency is to take matters into my own hands when something needs to be done. In fact, I made a career of refining things that needed to be improved so that a company could be profitable. For 20 years, this was honed into a skill regarding suppliers, machines, machine operators, etc. Job descriptions can require people to do what you need them to do, but we can’t force better behavior. We can’t force godly behavior. Why? Because we can’t change hearts. Only God can do that. So... we need to trust Him that He will do this. Which is why we need to wait and pray, pray and wait.
By way of encouragement, let me give some real-life examples of waiting from folks I know locally.
A single mother, living at her parent’s house with her two children, was out drinking with a male friend. On the way back to town, they rolled and flipped the car. She ended up with her head sticking out of the sunroof. But she didn’t have any head injuries and has recovered nicely from her broken bones. She has joined the “Mothers of Pre-School Children” group at our church and is making a spiritual comeback.
A son and daughter I know wanted nothing to do with their parents, especially their father. In fact, the daughter wanted nothing to do with her brother either. In need during a crisis, the daughter asked her brother to help her move back home. Both back home again, they asked to do a family vacation and traveled with their parents on a 1,500-mile trip. The report was that they got along the whole time. How is that possible?
A granddaughter who had not talked to her grandfather in several years is speaking with him and they are enjoying holidays together.
A son who left his church during COVID will now often call his father for personal and spiritual advice.
Do we wish for more? Sure. But can you see God at work? Have you seen God at work in your relationships? Don’t give up on your children—or your spouse or friends or parents. God is at work in them.