God Answers Prayer

You keep carrying that anger, it'll eat you up inside.-Don Henley


I knew a man once, a brother in Christ. Some of the finest times in my early life in the church were spent in his company.

This fellow had the awful habit of smoking cigarettes. Whenever any of his friends would question him and ask "Why don't you quit this unhealthy habit?" he would always laugh and say "I guess y'all aren't praying hard enough."

Some time later, my friend had a heart attack and some major by-pass action resulted. Nowadays, he is living a more healthy lifestyle which includes "no smoking."

Maybe we didn't pray as hard as we could have, but God does answer prayers.

Recently received joyful news from a dear loved one.

The last time we visited, I was struck by how deeply a Christian person could be sunk into bitterness, resentment and anger. All conversation was poisoned by it and my heart was broken to see this once joyful person drowning in a sea of misery.

I admit that my prayers are sometimes pitiful and my faith weak but  I have seen even that miniscule mustard seed faith move mountains.

So when she called, this past week, I don't have to tell you how overjoyed I was to hear in her voice a restoring of the peace she had lost. She told of a setting-aside of anger, and of a reaching-out to those toward whom she had experienced such bitterness.

She spoke as well of the looks of relief and the relaxing of tension in each one as she sought to mend broken relationships. 

We have been commanded to forgive as we are forgiven.

I'm not sure if it is the hardest command to obey.

But I have seen God use prayer to soften the hardest and most intransigent heart.

I'm praying, Lord, as hard as I can.