unanswered prayers

My dad recently said something to me that I’ve thought about for awhile but something that’s also really helped me be content in each season. 

He said this, “If God showed you the timing of His plan when it happens [the desires we hope for], you would be more than okay with it. You would understand everything and be content in this very moment because He has the very best for you. Don’t rush Gods plans.”

It’s such a simple truth and always good to be reminded of these things. I think about the verse in Romans when it says who hopes for what they already have? (Romans 8:24) No one! It’s the truth. If you knew Gods timing with every detail of your life, you wouldn’t need to have faith. Another verse that has left such a sweet taste is in psalm 139:16 and it says “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” And if that doesn’t send so much peace to your heart I’m not sure what else could. God not only knew you before you were knit together in your mothers womb (psalm 139:13-14) but he put in place every single day of your life. It says before any of your days come, he’s ordained them all. What a promise we can find peace in. If you’re struggling to find contentment in each day, pray that Gods will would be done for each day. Being in the center of Gods will is the best place to be. Don’t strive for what tomorrow may bring, but take this day and rejoice in the plans He has already put in place.

Contentment in the midst of trial is where your faith in Gods plans will be tested. Maybe you didn’t get the job you thought you pretty much had in the bag or the company you started was a flop. Maybe a close friend became a distant stranger. Maybe the college of your dreams said no. If you simply bring your desires to the Lord and ask for an answer, you’ll get one. All the closed doors were answers, we just maybe didn’t like them at the time. But see where those closed doors have lead to where you are now. Maybe you’re still in the process of getting to the place you desire to be in life, that’s okay too! But thank God for all the unanswered prayers that will only lead you to His perfect plans for your life. Thank Him for the closed doors, heartaches, rejections, all the things you thought were going to happened but just didn’t. Someday, when enough time passes you’ll be beyond thankful for all the almost maybes that lead you to where you are now. So, next time you start to go down the bunny trail of wondering if He even listens… know that He is and maybe you need to thank Him for the closed door instead of coming at him with a closed fist. He does it because he loves you but also because His plans are greater than we could ever dream up. Always remember that God has final say. Who’s to say what He has in store and the timing of it all. God could open that door you thought was shut for good to see the perfect timing of it all now. Rest in that promise today, for tomorrow He holds greater things than we could ever imagine.