When God gives us what we ask for

My brother lost his fiancée six months before they were to wed when she passed away from meningitis. A few months later he met a girl who would become his wife. After they were engaged, my mom and I were talking about the emotions, the ups and downs, and the prayers since the loss of his first fiancée. Mom shared that she constantly prayed for hope for him and was so happy that he found it in himself to believe and to be able to move on after such a loss. I got stuck on that particular prayer for a moment, pausing in our conversation. When her look questioned my silence, I leaned forward touching her hand and said, “Mom, God answered your prayer literally.” When she just looked at me, I reminded her, “Mom, her name is Hope. He’s going to marry Hope!”

Another answered prayer: My mother shared that once during her daily prayer time, she asked God to help her curb her “nagging.” The next day she woke up with laryngitis.

I remember these two examples that I share (with permission) so well because each in its own way offers comfort with a side of humor.

Reflecting on some of my own prayers, I marvel at the way God goes about responding. There was a time when He set the answer to a prayer down 24 hours BEFORE I even had the prayer. It was when I was sharing the story with a colleague almost a month later that I realized what He’d done: He laid down what I was going to need before I even knew I’d need to pick it up.

And then there are the unanswered prayers that, in hindsight, you realize were a measure of protection – because your path and purpose didn’t align with that request – or there was character and strength to be forged in bearing the cross you were trying to pray away.

Patience is a hard thing. Surrender is a hard thing. Trust is a hard thing. These virtues are what I endeavor to focus my prayers on because, at the root of my unease and restlessness, is my admitted inability to do these three things well. And I add the prayer for delight in my journey to embrace and embody them.

St. Therese of Lisieux had many thoughts on prayer, especially having struggled as a young girl with a particular unanswered prayer. From her struggle we can learn a lot about God’s timing and being patient in our surrender and trust in Him. Her simple quote sums it up: “We must abandon the future in to the hands of God.”

May we have a confidence so great in God’s love that we demonstrate this same heroic faith.