I bet there have been times in your life when you feel you’ve been let down or just overlooked, by God. How often have you prayed over and over for the Lord to come through for you, or provide in a specific way – but felt that He never answered those prayers?
There are so many promises in the bible about how the Lord provides for our needs, that He cares for us, and that He is our Good Shepherd, but sometimes we struggle to see it happening in our own life.
But what if we just didn’t see those moments where the Lord had provided or answered a prayer, because we didn’t recognise it?
Promises of God’s provision
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31–33 NIV
We hear about the incredible and impossible ways the Lord provides and answers prayers, all through the scriptures. We also hear it through other people’s stories; whether they are friends or those you hear about.
But maybe your experience in those times when you really needed the Lord to provide/make a way/open a door etc, you didn’t see Him answer.
- What if the answer looked different that what you were expecting?
- What if the Lord DID provide for you in those times, but you didn’t recognise it?
- What if you received what you needed but not in the way you WANTED?
A surprising mentor
Let me share a story with you; A number of years ago I was having coffee with a close friend, and we were discussing my desire to have a mentor. I was in a season where I felt a bit lost and unsure about life, and felt that I needed someone who would help me grow and challenge me.
Then my friend said this; “I asked God for a mentor, and He gave me you.”
I was so surprised and shocked by this, it made me laugh out loud right there in the cafe. My initial response to her statement was, “I am SO sorry!”, because in that moment I didn’t see that I could possibly be the answer to her prayer. Me, a mentor for her??
Our friendship has been such a gift to us both, we challenge and encourage each other, fulfilling both of our prayers for that ‘mentor’ we needed.
Needs, not always wants
Since then, the Lord has shown me how He often meets our NEEDS in ways we don’t expect. I’ve also come to learn that He doesn’t always fulfil our WANTS or our prayers the way we hope He will.
I wonder: How much we are limiting ourselves, by how we think God can work in our life? How these expectations are possibly blinding us to what is possible with the Lord.
Think about this: Sometimes God answers our prayers through people, rather than through resources we think we need.
His provision may not look spectacular but still is sufficient for our needs. Just like the way the Lord provided manna and quail, shade and fire for His people as they wandered in the wilderness.
Mistaking the Lord’s provision
Take a moment to look back and reflect on what you have asked the Lord for, and perhaps you feel you are still waiting for Him to come through.
What if the Lord has answered that prayer in a way you haven’t recognised?
We might ask the Lord to grow and prepare us, but then He brings challenging situations that give us opportunity to do just that.
And then we might have the audacity to moan and complain that life is so hard because of these opportunities. We don’t want the challenge we want to skip to the growth part. What we really WANT is for the Lord to magically download into our life, all the things we need.
Sometimes we pray for people to come alongside us, but maybe the people the Lord sends are the ones we NEED for the journey and not necessarily those we would have chosen of ourselves, missing the gift He sent our way.
Maybe you can recognise a similar situation in your own life?
When disappointment becomes invitation
Have there been times when the Lord has answered your prayer in a way that you weren’t happy with, or felt disappointed by? Sometimes these feelings can stop us from fully trusting that the Lord will do what He promises.
But what if disappointment with God’s provision can actually become an invitation into deeper trust? What if – despite how it may look to our limited view on things, we choose to trust that the Lord knows what we need and in His timing we will see it?
The Lord is the giver of all good things, and who is a better judge of what we need – than Him?
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV
We don’t need to understand why the Lord chooses to work the way He does, to be able to put our hope and trust in the Him. Because, that is what faith is all about – believing without seeing. Trusting without needing to first understand.
The gift of hindsight and the power of gratitude
Recognising God’s faithful provision in our life, sometimes requires hindsight. We often only see clearly the ways the Lord has provided, when we take time to look back. We can remind our heart when those doubtful thoughts come, of the ways the Lord has already been faithful in our life.
Sometimes those answers to prayer or provision, will be in the big and obvious ways. But often, they are more like many tiny points that when seen together from a distance, paint the greater picture of God’s hand at work.
By practicing gratitude, even when we are still in the waiting – we give the Lord thanks for all the ways He has – and will do.
Questions to reflect on:
Before you go, I want you to take some time to think on these questions, which you can journal or just sit with them for a while:
- What have you been asking the Lord for recently?
- Could His answer already be present in a way you’ve overlooked?
- How has God provided for you in the past in ways you didn’t recognise at the time?
- What heart attitudes might change, if you start to look for the needs that have been met rather than the wants fulfilled?
- How has the Lord provided for you when you didn’t even ask Him to?
- How can you express gratitude today for the unexpected ways God is already providing?
I’m sure there are more questions you would add to these, hit reply and share with me any that you come up with.
I hope this has encouraged and lovingly challenged your heart, to keep trusting our good and faithful Lord, in all things.
Keep growing in all the best ways, friend.
Carrie x
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Carrie Baker - The Growth Collective 
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