Thank Jesus BEFORE You Have an Answer

Jesus loves to hear our prayers. He wants to know what's on our minds, what's troubling us, what we need. Jesus longs to answer our prayers.
Today the devotion from "Jesus Calling" makes the suggestion to thank God for the answer to our prayer even before we see it. Instead of constantly repeating our request ... and instead of focusing on what we want but don't have ... let's begin offering prayers of thanksgiving before God gives us an answer. Matthew 21:22 assures us, "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
Having a thankful heart is the "believing" part. We are so certain that we will receive an answer from Jesus that we can thank Him ahead of time.
As I John 5:15 makes plain, "And we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests we have asked from Him." We can thank Him because we already have what we asked for. We can acknowledge and be grateful that Jesus is setting events in motion that will bring about an answer to our prayer. We can be grateful that He is working behind the scenes to give us our heart's desire. Colossians 4:2 tells us, "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." 
While we wait for God to act, we can start asking if we need to change our perspective, if we should take some action, if we can be more receptive, so that we will be ready to recognize God's answer when it comes.
The answer may not be what we first expected. God may say "Wait;" He may even say "No;" or He may do something totally amazing, beyond what we imagined. But we will see the answer more clearly and accept it more willingly, when we have already been thanking Him for answering our prayer.

Prayer: A Conversation with God

When we pray, we need to keep in mind that this is not a one-way communication. We talk to God. He listens. We listen. He answers. Sometimes it may seem like we are talking to ourselves, but be assured that when we talk, God hears. When we listen, we will hear God speaking.

I have a friend who, as a new Christian, kept hearing other Christians talk about how they heard God: that he told them to do this or that. Hard as she tried, as often as she prayed, she was so disappointed that she never heard God speak. She thought maybe she wasn't a good enough Christian ... that there was something wrong with her. Only after talking to more Christians did she learn that God's voice is rarely audible to our ears.

God speaks to us in many ways, when we are sensitive and willing to wait. Most often he speaks to our minds and hearts as we read the Bible. Certain passages that we've read countless times, will suddenly take on new meaning. We'll see an answer or find new inspiration in well-known verses.

Sometimes God speaks to us through other people. If we seek guidance or direction from others we trust ... those who may be more wiser or older ... we sometimes find just what we need at the time.

It's true that God uses circumstances to guide us. As many have experienced, doors open or close; events change or influence us. Also, God talks to us within our own minds: through our conscience or in dreams or revelations come to us as we sit and meditate.

I highly recommend Dallas Willard's book, "Hearing God," for more on this subject. In great detail and in perceptive language, Willard explores these and other methods that God chooses to reach us.

Just as a good friend is thrilled when we call, sent an e-mail or strike up a conversation in person, Christ and the Holy Spirit are filled with joy when we choose to converse them. We may not have the mystical experience of hearing God's actual voice, but we can know that he is reaching out in various ways to guide and teach us.

If you haven't had a conversation with God for awhile, I urge you to start your side of the conversation today. Who knows what wonderful things God is just waiting to share with you?

Here are some Bible verses that may help you in your conversation with God:

"Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender! When I was in trouble, you helped me. Be kind to me now and hear my prayer." Psalm 4:1

"He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity." Psalm 145:18

"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14


"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him."        I John 5:14-15