If you're anything like I am it's very difficult for me to just sit and do nothing. I get this anxious feeling like there has to be something I could be doing. So inevitably, I usually go find something, it doesn't always mean I get off the couch however. My part-time employment is an online school so I'll open my computer and check on emails, or I'll pull out my phone and check emails or Facebook or text someone. There's always a room to be cleaned, lesson plans to be prepared or laundry to do. Either way my mind is always racing to get something accomplished. I am a person with lists and I get joy out of marking through the items that need to be taken care of.
Unfortunately, after a little reflection on my part I realized I'm the same way with God. I assign Him a task or in "spiritual terms" a prayer request. As the prayers get answered or what I feel is an answer, I mark them off or a least put a date next to them, so I know it's one less thing I need to pray about. It feels great to see a friend whom I've been praying for get pregnant or a family member or friend get saved. Those are the things I love marking off my list. However, what about those things I've been praying about for years? The things that I'm just not "seeing" anything happen with because really isn't that what it's all about, us "seeing" God work in our lives? Well those things I tend to try to move along myself, in my timing and it's funny that I haven't learned that in those instances it never works out the way I thought it would or should, I get ahead of God.
I've come to realize that God, Well He doesn't really "need" my help with my prayer request. His word says in John 16:23, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." The verse doesn't tell me that I would have to manipulate or do anything to receive it, get this, "ONLY ASK". So what's one to do who likes to check off a list and push things along in their own timing, because I, in all honesty lack patience in God's timing? I'll tell you, I'm beginning to learn the art of doing nothing!!! That's right, NOTHING, once it's been prayed about, I'm not going to rehash the same prayer day in and day out, God hears me the first time around and His word says specifically that all I have to do is ask, not beg, just ask. What a wonderful amount of pressure that removes from me, being a control freak and all. Now it's just a matter of asking and believing that what He wants for me is best and He'll give me what's best and being grateful for whatever He gives me!
I was reading, The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer the other evening and while trying to make some decisions on what God wanted from me regarding relationships and my time, I came to this passage: "We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety; this is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed." What profound words, it was if God literally hit me over the head with what actions I was suppose to take.
Has God been hitting you over the head as well? Have you been trying to answer your own prayers by a lot of doing? If so I challenge you to leave them at the foot of Jesus, let Him take care of them for you and a burden will soon be lifted! It's difficult enough to take care of the responsibilities we have to manage, why take on additional responsibilities that God wants to manage for us!
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