Persevering Prayer

Have you ever had a prayer you continually prayed?  One you felt passionate about?  One you felt that every time you prayed it, it didn't quite get to God's ear?  We know, of course, this isn't true.  God hears every prayer we pray and even knows our thoughts before we speak them.  When prayers go unanswered we tend to chalk it up to scriptures like Isaiah 55:9 ... His thoughts and ways are higher than mine.  And although this scripture is undoubtedly true, there are other scriptures that show us something different.

For example, Mark 4:22 which speaks of things that are in secret coming to light, things kept hidden in order to be manifested.  1 Cor. 2:16 tells us we have been given the mind of Christ, holding the very thoughts, feelings, and purposes of His heart. (Amplified Bible)  In fact, God doesn't want us to miss His hidden truths because they are for us to know. (Rom. 11:25, Mark 4:11)  These verses speak mainly of the mystery of the Church brought about through the mystery of Jesus and whom will be taken to heaven in the mystery of the rapture.  These things are mysteries to the unbeliever but firm truths to those in Christ, and I believe are a template for the Christian life.

As individual believers, God is always at work establishing intimate relationships with each of us through mysteries He waits for us to find.  Isaiah 45:3 gives a clear depiction of this. "And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name."  Another beautiful mystery which waits to unfold, and ironically also deals with our name, is in Rev. 2:17.  "To him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the manna that is hidden, and I will give a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone, which no one knows or understands except he who receives it." ... and which according to Is. 62:2, God Himself will give us.  Isn't that amazing!?!  That is how profoundly close, how deeply intimate our walk with the Lord is to be here on earth.

However, we must also be mindful that as much as these mysteries and secrets are meant to be found, God alone has the perfect timing for their discovery.  Let me share with you my personal experience with this.  You see, for years I had prayed a prayer that I felt passionate about.  One that I felt had scriptural bases.  One that I, after about 7 years of praying it, began to wonder if I'd ever get an answer.  The prayer was this ...

"Lord, You see the desire of my heart.  How I long to have a relationship with my children!  How I wish they would look at me and see me!  How it breaks my heart that they don't understand the power of communicating with me.  They don't call to me for even the most basic of needs, and they certainly don't realize all that I want to do for them.  Help me, Lord.  It is so painful to see my children like this."

After years of praying this prayer I found myself at a place of questioning if God understood me or even cared that my heart was so broken over my children.  The last time I prayed this prayer I remember punctuating my point by saying "God, You desire to have a relationship with Your children!  Well, I desire to have a relationship with mine!"   (Can I just throw in here, NEVER think you are going to out wit God because that is when He will out wit you!)  God chose to answer me by playing my prayer back to me, but instead of being from my perspective it was from God's perspective.  A holy, righteous, unselfish perspective of a loving heavenly Father who longs for relationships with ALL His children.

"Now you see the desire of My heart.  How I long to have a relationship with My children!  How I wish they would look at Me and see Me!  How it breaks My heart that they don't understand the power of communicating with Me.  They don't call to Me with even the most basic of needs, and they certainly don't realize all that I want to do for them.  Help Me.  It is so painful to see My children like this."

In that moment I was so humbled.  In that moment I was overwhelmed with heaviness for those who are lost.  In that moment I could completely identify with God and was so comforted in knowing He completely understood me.  No, I did not get a direct answer to my prayer.  I got something better.  I got a glimpse into the very heart of God.

At this point I'd love to tell you I have no idea why it took God so long to share this with me.  Certainly He knew His answer the very first time I prayed this. However, He knew I wasn't ready for it.  You see, had God given me this answer 5 years sooner - 3 years sooner - or even 1 year sooner I would not have cared about what He cared about.  I was way too caught up in my own life and my own loss to care about others.  In God's great wisdom, instead of giving me opportunity to sin by elevating my will and desire above His, He remained silent.  The beauty is that God tells us what we need to know exactly when we need to know it.  We are not waiting for Him, my friend.  He is waiting for us.  When our hearts are ready to receive His perspective, He will reveal it.  In His response He not only gives us insight into Him but also a backward glance at how far He has brought us.  How much He has transformed our hearts.  Incredible.

The ability to identify with God is so very profound!  Through the years I've heard many people question God's ability to identify with topics like children and marriage.  But have we forgotten that God has children, and Jesus has a bride?  Autism was an area of my life I never thought I could identify with God about.  Excitedly, unexpectedly, and sadly enough I now can.  I dare say that God has used my children's Autism to show me an even larger epidemic.  One that plagues His children ... His bride.  Spiritual Autism.   Here is a list of diagnosing questions ...

1.  Am I so rigid in keeping with my schedule and routine that God's divine appointments are bothersome to me?
2.  Is my obsessive compulsiveness to details making me miss God's bigger picture?
3.  When my perfectly lined up life gets thrown out of whack with an unforeseen obstacle, am I prone to meltdowns?
4.  Do I make things in my life more difficult than they need to be because I don't ask God about them?
5.  Am I too busy with the sound of my own voice to hear what God is trying to say to me?
6.  Where am I missing God working in my life because I'm not looking for Him?
7.  When something doesn't fit neatly in one of my preconceived God/Bible/Spiritual boxes, do I find myself  throwing it over the fence into the ferns never to be found again?  (That one's in honor of my sweet Hannah!  How I love that girl!)

Do you see yourself in any of these questions?  I see myself too.  But I am so happy to tell you that unlike Autism, Spiritual Autism has a cure!  That cure is abiding in God's word and being Spirit led.

This experience has resulted in three huge changes for me.  One, a heart that longs to see lost souls saved.  Two, a desire to see God's people aware of and set free from Spiritual Autism. And three, a better understanding of the power of persevering prayer.

Perseverance is the first word God gave me after Hannah's diagnosis in 2003.  Matthew 7:7-8 paints a picture of perseverance.  "Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking , the door will be opened."  Revelation 3:20 reveals the persevering image we are created in as Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."  God patiently, passionately, and perseveringly pursues us.  He is not deterred when we do not respond.  Is it any wonder that He has called us to do the same? 

As I have witnessed the power of persevering prayer in my own life, I want to encourage you to persevere as well.  No good thing will God withhold, but let Him decide what that good thing is and trust it to be revealed at just the right time. (Ps. 84:11)  Many times that good thing is meant to prosper our soul, not just our situation.  (3 John 2)  Since we know God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, let us exercise both faith and patience as we watch our persevering prayer give way to His most beautiful promises. (Heb. 11:6, 6:12)