Recently, I was asked to come to a meeting and share the signs of transformation in our city. As I pondered about what to speak, I wrote a list of things by which God has been encouraging me. Then I sent the list to my host and he asked a question. "What if someone questions these changes? What are the sources for this information?" And I had a simple answer, "Our local newspaper, The Daily Sun." I regularly read the newspaper looking for answers to my prayers.
I started praying for transformation in our city over 15 years ago. As I prayed, I looked around for answers to my prayers. For the first 9 years, I saw lots of transformation in individuals (including myself). Starting in 2006, I began to see major changes in our city in general. What drove me to pray was a firm belief that the transformation of our city was an idea from God. It was His idea, not mine. The success of this transformation rests solely on His shoulders and my part was just to believe "Nothing is impossible with God." So, from that point forward, I had an expectancy! I have seen in significant ways how God is working toward transformation. My part is to watch with expectancy and pray! And also ACT on anything the Lord asks me to do!
This journey of learning to wait with expectancy has been a battle for me. If you know me very well, you know that patience is not one of my strong points naturally! I pace in front of the microwave! I drive different routes in my car to avoid waiting at lights! Just ask my husband! This lack of patience has often caused me to get caught up in a specific expectation when praying. I have learned that praying requires me to let go of control. My part is crying out to God for His answer not expecting Him to answer in the way I would. When I am stuck on planning HOW God should answer my prayers, I am trapped in pride and frustration. This takes away my expectancy, my joy, and my freedom. When I am locked into a one-way outcome, I am in danger of losing my faith! My faith needs to rest in the Almighty God and His incomprehensible wisdom, rather than in my faulty and limited human plans.
Praying is not about giving an order to God. It is about surrendering a need to God and then waiting for His response. It is about reading my Bible to find revelation from God's Word. It is about understanding how mighty and great He is! It is about knowing He is better suited to decide how to meet my prayer requests. And often when the answer comes, I would not have done things the way He did. This is because my perspective is too small compared to His vantage point. He sees the whole picture and I only see the part. But as I pray and accept His answers, I am awestruck and humbled! The Almighty God of this universe cares for and communicates with me. He listens to and answers my prayers! He invites me into the great things He is doing in the world today! I can expect Him to listen, answer, and sometimes even invite me into the answers!
So as I watch and pray, I will wait with expectancy! I will live with joy, freedom, and great faith! I will believe God for the answers to my prayers! I will keep my ears and eyes wide open as I expect the answer to my prayers in whatever dynamic way my Lord chooses to answer them. And I will watch in awe and praise as He continues to transform our city! And sometimes His answers will be written as headlines in the newspaper.
Ephesians 3:20-21:"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
