Answered Prayer: Have You Counted the Cost?

by Crystal Kelly

I recently heard a complaint in regards to an answered prayer. Now one of the first things a person would think looking from the outside would be “seriously were you not praying for this you should be more than thankful.” Unfortunately they were not. Well I should say they were thankful for part of it not all. In order to understand a person’s plight you sometimes have to step into their shoes. In order to do this you must connect with your human emotions and step out of your righteous above the world feelings. This is not at all meant to insult anyone but to engage with everyone.

I had to step out of my presumptions and put myself in this precious individual’s shoes. When I did that I understood. This precious child of God spent years on bended knee in prayer, claiming God’s promises, seeking revelation and waiting for the fulfillment. The answer came yet the result was not what they wanted. I realized then and there that we sometimes pray selfishly. We mean well yet we mean well for ourselves more than for the individual we are praying for.

Many of us spend much time praying for loved ones who are in sin to come to the healing salvation that Christ offers yet our prayers are unconsciously more for our relationships than for their relationship with Christ. When a prayer is answered and a person comes to salvation we all rejoice and are glad to have them among us. How often are we glad when they answer the call of Christ to serve taking time away from us? Are we truly happy for that individual or do we selfishly want their time for ourselves?

These are questions we must ask ourselves when we pray. This even applies to prayers for our own life. Have you counted the cost of an answered prayer? Are you willing to lay everything down for the work Christ has set aside for you to do? If not then fall to your knees and ask God to reveal the truth of your heart and allow Him to change you into the person He desires you to be.

Tags: answered, Christian, god, Jesus, Life, living, prayers, praying, teen, unanswered