Unanswered Prayers

I've been struggling a lot lately, more than I care to admit, with an unanswered prayer. Yesterday, I sat down and plopped my Bible open to Psalms. . . I didn't know where else to look, but I always find much comfort and direction in the Psalms. While reading over different chapters and verses. . .my eyes kept coming back to one verse. Several of the verses that I read weren't ones that I would say that I necessarily memorized, but they were ones that were familiar, this one however, kept jumping out at me. Psalm 138:8 "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of your hands." If you want to know how to hear God speak, open His Word!! "Concerned" that would definately be the word that describes how I feel about this situation. I am concerned; not terrified, not completely hopeless, but worried, concerned, and the "what ifs" really bothers me.

While reading through the book of Psalms I also stumbled across chapter 6, a chapter that I had underlined boldly in red, and then written beside it - "7-12-98". I didn't need a second to remember the significance of that date. I was a heart-broken 19 year old girl who was completely devastated. Now, looking back, I can clearly see God's hand, and I know that there was such a better plan (and a better man!) for me. That's the thing about God's plan. . .I can't see it, at least not the entire big picture, but God can, so I need to learn to TRUST him, which is not easy feat for my personality, but I am trying, every day. The awesome thing about God is that He can handle my doubts, my questions and my fears. In Psalm 62:8 it says, "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." I love "pour out your heart before Him"!!! God is big enough to handle all that I can dish out at Him, He knows my heart, so I may as well tell him anyway. And, in those times when I don't know how to ask or what to even ask for, a simple "God help me" is all I need because I know He understands.

Unanswered prayer is hard. . .especially for someone who likes a plan, a schedule, an itinerary. But unanswered is where I am now, and I am trying to have hope. . . .Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." I will cling to that as much as I can, and remember that "the Lord will perfect that which concerns me". . . .I have hope in the Lord.