Praying To Deaf Ears

By Christine Carter

The first half of the day was rough -- in a period of about three hours, I had only seen one book leave my canvassing bag. At this point, I was discouraged. A few days prior, books had been going out like crazy. But this day and the day before were so slow, and it became a mental battle to even go out into territory. I felt as though I had been praying to deaf ears, and that God no longer heard my cries. Over lunch, I decided it was time to do something different.

Up until now, my prayers had gone something to the effect of, "Lord, help ME to get these books out...let people see something different in ME....please, God, help ME to reach these people."

I think God had heard enough about ME, and it was time to pray a different prayer.

As I went out into territory after lunch, I asked God to do HIS will. I reminded God that these were HIS people, that these books were HIS books, and that this job was HIS doing, and that all the glory goes to HIM. And with that prayer, everything changed. At the very first door on the very first street of the evening, a couple took a four-book children's set -- even though their baby hadn't even arrived yet! A few doors down, a woman donated for a cookbook and children's book, and another man took a DVD. Book after book after book...Wow, I was stunned. All I can do is praise God for how HE worked that day, and for the lessons that He has taught me about prayer.

Today, I encourage you to examine your prayer life. If it seems that God is not answering your prayers, then perhaps it is because, as the Bible puts it, we have asked "amiss" (James 4:3). Are we truly praying for God, asking for His will, or are our prayers coated with a layer of selfishness? God promises that when we seek His will, He will hear and answer our prayers. May God go with you throughout this week, and may you see His hand working each moment of every day. God bless.