GOD / HEALING AND MIRACLES / 3 – EXPECTATIONS
Answers to prayers may not come in the form we expect. It may not be just a joke when someone says
“I got the answer to my prayers, it was “no”’.
The answer may vary in its time scale.
If you are praying to find a suitable life partner, don’t insist that
the next person to ring the doorbell will be the one. It is possible that you won’t get the hoped
for answer to your prayers, but later realize how fortunate you are that your
prayers weren’t answered to your specifications. The traffic jam that made you miss the plane
that crashed may be in that category of answers.
Cure, relief, or the outcome you want is likely to be the
outcome most pleasing to you. But other
answers are also worthwhile.
Acceptance of the unwanted condition is a satisfying
outcome. It should not be just giving
up, but it can be a happy life anyway.
If you are not miserable and dwelling on your problems, the people
around you will be happier and it should make you happier too. But keep the prayers going, maybe better
times are coming.
Understanding
When
acceptance is based on a fatalistic view of the world it may provide some
degree of release from anguish. But true
peace may be within reach if you consider how many of the first apostles
suffered worldly woes and martyrdom.
They knew the worldly life was temporary and expected an eternal spiritual life
with rewards far beyond worldly suffering, even though their vision of that
world was clouded by earthly limitations.
Being witness to the life, teachings, suffering, death, and resurrection
of Jesus made that belief and their expectations a certainty. The certainty is not about the details of the
future as seen by those who think in terms, of health, wealth and wives, those
may be meaningless as our relationship with God reaches fulfillment.
If your expectations aren’t met, I hope you will at least
have happy surprises. I’ve heard it
said, if your goals are met, you’ve set your sights too low.
Joe Engemann
Kalamazoo, Michigan September 12, 2016
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