"It is true that the answers to our prayers may not always come as direct and at the time, nor in the manner, we anticipate; but they do come, and at a time and in a manner best for the interests of him who offers the supplications." -David O. McKay
This goes along nicely with what I have in the past opined and written about how faith and prayers are not the quarters we deposit and buttons we push on the vending machine of God to obtain the prize or soda we want.
I was talking to Mom this morning about faith. The topic came up because we were discussing Miss Vicki's recent diagnosis of being in the latter stages of Multiple Myeloma and how everyone is "srtanding in faith for her healing in heaven and on earth!!!". Now, don't get me wrong, I have faith that God can heal her, that's not the issue. The issue I've seen in a lot of people is this. When someone gets sick or injured, everyone stands in faith tha God will heal them. Praying in Jesus' name, laying on of hands, annointing with oil, casting out demons, the whole works, saying "I don't accept that negative word or sickness, I claim healing!!!", etc. Then, if that person dies, everyone's faith is shaken and people say "What did we do wrong? Did we not believe enough? Is my faith weak?". Here's the deal. People live, people die. Faith isn't just something that you can use to manipulate God. True faith isn't just saying "I know and believe God WILL heal her!!!". Faith is knowing that God CAN heal her, and may or may not choose to, and still believing that He's God and He's in control no matter what happens, even if things don't work out the way we want them to, and that He can use circumstances for His good even if they aren't the outcome we wanted. It's almost like people use faith to try to manipulate things to the way they want them to work. Let God be God. Let Him be in control. It's almost like true faith is a surrender of our will and our desires to His will, letting go the control we're trying to cling so tightly to and letting Him have the reigns.
God =/= vending machine. Faith and prayers =/= quarters.
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