The Power Of prayer

In the last year I’ve gone through a lot of things that should have had a negative effect on my life. I had both my knees replaced and went through half the year with only one months pay, about $800.00 from my 401k, and what my wife makes at the shoe factory. In August I started getting disability checks. By all rights we should be in really bad shape financially, but we aren’t and there are two reasons why.

1)      We live on a tight budget. This is something we always have and always will do. When you only have a limited amount to spend you need to keep track of what you have to spend, when you have to spend it, and if you can get by not spending it. A budget allows you to prioritize your spending. Deferring what is important and how much of your income you can afford to use to meet those needs.

2)      Most important of all we had help. When ever things seemed the bleakest, there was an unexpected windfall or things were not as bad as they had seemed. We were able to get by with less than we thought we needed, we were able to spread the payment over time, or there was extra income we didn’t expect. Yes we had help, not from a person but from the Lord.

I was brought up to believe that He was watching over me and if I was willing to put things in His hands He would take care of me. That does not mean that I can sit back and do nothing, nor does it mean that He will give me a fancy car or a big screen TV. It means that if I have faith in Him and bring my problems to Him in prayer, He will provide me with what I need. When I ask for guidance He will show me where to go. I’ve always believed that when life closes the door on you God opens a window. He answers your prayers; it’s just that the answer may not be the one you wanted to hear.

My mother was a real believer in the power of prayer. She was also a believer in what she called laying out a fleece. She would ask God to show her if what she was praying for was what He wanted. I can remember many times after a thing had happened that she would say that it was what God wanted because she had asked for a sign and He had given it to her. Although I lack that kind of faith I know that He will be there when I need Him, and often it will be in a way that says “Oh yea of little faith, did you forget I said I would take care of you”.

I was raised to believe in the idea that if you knock the door will open, if you ask it will be given, but you have to make the effort.