Have you got a big decision to make? One that causes you to vascilate between faith and fear? Maybe you’ve lifted it to God in prayer, but then quick snatched it back as your thoughts scramble to a place of worry. Well, it’s about time to prepare for your answer to prayer!
When life gets tangled.
I hated my job.
My children were small.
My husband and I had been talking about moving.
Then, I got the bright idea to go back to school.
I felt like I had so many different pieces of life swirling about me like question marks in a cartoon. I kept wondering what to do first, as if there were some perfect-right answer. And as much as I prayed, I think I worried more.
Fear of a wrong decision.
I was keenly aware that my decisions as a mom were going to directly affect my kids. If we moved. And no matter how I tried, it would be difficult to prepare them for new schools, leaving friends, and starting over. Why did I struggle with these as harsh realities even though I faced them as a kid. I mean, I survived.
But what if I did quit my job and go back to school? Then the whole family would have to deal with my new schedule and less income for a time. I hated feeling as if my choice was selfish, but I knew in the long run, I’d be a much happier me to life with.
My problem became a prayer.
I mean, it wasn’t until after I complained and worried, but at least I finally got around to it. My husband and I had talked it over… and over. When he finally suggested, “Go ahead and apply for school. List the house for sale. Then pray that whatever God wants you to do. Prepare your heart that whatever happens as a result of these actions, is what God wants.”
And God showed up.
I stayed at my job until I started to see change. The listing on our house did’t get so much as a nibble. But the more I prepared to go back to school, the more excited I became about this new direction. I was glad our kids didn’t feel the pressure of those decisions. They only asked a few questions about the sign in the yard and went on playing.
And by the time I got my acceptance to the Alternative Teacher’s Certification program, I felt confident about the direction God had for me. It wasn’t the He was absent from our lives as I worried and complained, it’s just that He had no way to speak to me… to make changes in me through my preparation.
God reveals when we prepare.
I learned that worrying about wrong decisions got me nowhere. But the moment I began to prepare for either option to be realized, I sensed God moving. Most likely because I was doing something positive to replace all the negativity of my worried words. And the preparations took effort; they distracted me from the worry and helped me realize what I really desired most.
After I quit my job and went back to school, our life took on a new rhythm that was peaceful for the whole family. And within two years, we re-listed our house… which sold in a week… and moved to a new city with new jobs. And God blessed us through it all with peace of mind and provision through our preparations.
On the Podcast…
Are you prepared for the answer to your biggest prayer? Do you have everything all lined up and ready for God to show up? Or have you lost confidence in prayer, only giving a half-hearted effort because things just seem too impossible?
Whether you’re a prayer warrior or a prayer worry-er, it can be difficult to press through the middle and wait on God’s answer, when nothing changes. So what do we do after the Amen?
Join me today for our last walk with our Warrior Esther, as she shows how to have courageous faith, not only in her prayer, but in her actions after. Let’s put together a plan to pursue victory over our biggest battles, even when we are face to face with our enemy.
Don’t miss an episode as you discover how theWarriorSHE is realized in you!
Resources can be downloaded @thewarriorshe.com
Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud and Stitcher.
I so enjoyed the series on Esther….even though I’ve taught her life several times , I never thought about her preparing a banquet while she was fasting. How her thoughts had to be on what God desired in this rather than her own comfort. Thank you for your teaching!