If you have ever gone ice skating, you will be able to relate.
You can watch any new person on the rink… no matter their level of confidence, you can read a three-part story on their faces as the get onto the ice and smoothly slide away from the side:
“I am Flying!”
”uh… erm… I am falling…!”
“Oof… I am hurting…”
They tend to stand in stark contrast to the frequent and proficient skaters that swish over the ice, moving effortlessly between obstacles (aka… people) and even when they fall, they do it so stylishly, it looks effortlessly planned!
They may have started off like a cow on ice, tap dancing instead of ice skating, but they have perfected their skill-set.
I am pretty sure we have all heard various sermons and teachings on prayer, and one of those teachings would have included a part about God’s response to prayer.
It is a basic principle:
When a child asks a parent for something, the answer is basically one of three options:
Yes… No… or Not Now (wait…)
And a good and responsible parent will usually also have a good reason for their answer.
But let me present you with a thought:
Prayer is a conversation with God. It is not simply the format with which we go to our heavenly ATM and request stuff…
God’s Word and Prayer is how we communicate with God… right?
So if God says “Yes” to a prayer, we go over into thanks and praise. In the morning we asked God to provide for our day, and at night, before we eat, we thank Him for what he has provided… correct?
But sometimes God says “No” and we throw a bit of a tiff. However, as we become more mature and our relationship grows, we learn that even when we think God is wrong, He has proven Himself Faithful and we can respond to His “no” with thanks, because God really does know best.
But here is the thing I learnt much too late in my life: What to do when God says “Wait.”
My response was always… ok… I’m waiting. Look how patient I am God. I am still waiting, in case you forgot… Still patiently _waiting…?!_ God? Erm… God?
I never thought to wonder why God said to wait…(?) until a few years ago.
One night I threw all my toys out the cot and demanded to know WHY?! Why must I wait?! God rarely responds to my temper tantrums with an answer in the moment, but a few days later He said: ”Because… you are not ready.”
Kick in the shins!
But God was right…
(…even though it took me a while to concede the point, but how that happened is a different story!)
So a long story to get to a short point.
When God says “Wait” – probably the correct response to God should be “Ok. Will you prepare me? Will you help me get ready?”
If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. After all, do we not pray ”Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be Done”?
Jesus prayed all three in Gethsemane
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.”
(Luke 22:42–43 NIV)
Maybe, subconsciously, we don’t really want to pray the prayer that asks “Prepare me” because we are afraid of the falls and the failures… but how else will we learn to skate on the ice?
Luckily, God skates pretty well, and He has your hand in His, and the Holy Spirit on the other side!
Be blessed, be a blessing, and ask God about that preparation…
