How to Pray in Faith
At the twenty week ultrasound appointment two families were told they were having boys. Other news came that day as well. Sad news. Devastating news. Medical conditions. Surgeries. “Life expectancy” talk filled the tiny dark room. A few months later, both women delivered perfectly adorable little boys. Round faces. Ten fingers. Ten toes. Peach fuzz hair. At the same hospital. With tubes and surgeries and medicines keeping both of their boys alive.
As the weeks passed, both received surgery. Both gathered the prayer warriors. Strangers and friends hit their knees on the behalf of these families. Eleven weeks of praying, begging, and believing one little boy went home to be with Jesus. The other lived.
Both families believed. Both families knew God could heal. Both families had countless churches and Christians praying on behalf of their sweet boy. Both mommas had faith. So why did one live, and the other not? The answer: “God’s ways are higher than ours.” {although true} doesn’t cut it. I’m sorry, but death still hurts. Unanswered prayers hurt.
We are commanded in Scripture to pray with faith (James 1:5-8; I John 5:14-15). Faith and doubt do not coexist. Certainly both mothers prayed with faith. Both mothers believed God could heal. I can’t know their hearts, but it seems they both trusted the Father.
God gets glory in both the “no’s” and the “yes’s” of life.
2 Corintians 12:7-9 tells of Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” A physical (some believe) illness keeping Paul from fully enjoying and doing life. Paul prayed. And we would all agree Paul was a man of faith. Yet, God said: no.
Philippians 2:25-27 tells of a time Paul’s friend was so ill he was going to die. Paul begged God, with faith, for the life of his friend. The friend was healed. God said yes. Why do you think God said “no” to one request and “yes” to the other?
As we pray, we have faith in who God is, not in His ability to say yes. The measure of our faith is not how God answers, but how our hearts grow in dependence and understanding. We have faith in His character. More faith does not mean more “yes’s.” More faith doesn’t mean we will never suffer. As we pray, even when the answer is no, our faith grows. Prayer anchored in faith means we will be content, not in God’s answer, but in God Himself.
Tweet ThisIt is not the amount of my faith that matters, but where my faith is placed – in a God who makes no mistakes, who is always working for the highest and set for His children…..A purified faith is a stronger faith – able to pray bodily, humbly, and submissively. Sometimes our faith can move moutains; sometimes it can only reach out and touch the hem of His garment; sometimes it simply cries out for mercy – but in all prayers of faith, in some measure, the true healing is that our eyes are opened and we see the Lord.” – Cynthia Heald
The examples I shared above are true. Two women, two baby boys, two stories. Both received answers, but it wasn’t about God’s answer to their prayers. It was about their ability to see and believe Who God was in their storm. I saw the woman whose baby was lost, praise God even in her heartbreak. Her faith is healing her heart, even though God hadn’t healed her baby.
Pray with FAITH.
What is your prayer life like? How do you struggle to pray in faith, especially when God has answered “no”?
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hi sarah, i’m not sure i understand the connection between this statement: So why did one live, and the other not? The answer: “God’s ways are higher than ours.” {although true} doesn’t cut it. I’m sorry, but death still hurts. Unanswered prayers hurt.
and the rest of the post?
is your point that saying God’s ways are higher than ours doesn’t take away the pain of the loss of the baby? (which of course is true.) my understanding is that GOD did answer our prayers. just not in the way we wanted. we wanted a healthy, live baby. (i’ve been there…not with all the surgery…1st child stillborn after an apparently healthy pg. until the very end.)
in the end, i have to submit to the fact that His ways are higher than mine. i just don’t understand them…i never will. He has the eternal picture. i only have my tiny little local picture. of course i want my baby to live! but if i had his viewpoint, i might have a perspective that would understand it better. it still wouldn’t take away the grief of the moment.
it has now been over 40years since her birth and death. i have had 3 daughters since then. i have a different perspective on it now…not painless, but different.
my husband’s mother had a stillborn daughter the year b/f he was born. he probably wouldn’t have been born if she had lived. they only had one child each 6 years. i think about that every once in awhile. not that he was more valuable, but that GOD had different purposes.
and the purposes for all the people who prayed? we don’t know what happened in them. only GOD does.
i think you said a lot of that in your article. i guess i struggle when people don’t like the words that God’s ways are higher than ours. i find them comforting…but i don’t say them to people who have just lost a loved one either!
I do know the words: “God’s ways are higher than ours” are amazing words (They are scripture!). They can bring a lot of comfort (as you showed!). I’m saying sometimes Christians throw that statement around without much thought to the person’s feelings. We agree – when someone loses a loved one, it isn’t the time to say those words (even if they are true). We speak the truth in love. Truth, yes. But also love.
Thank you for your kind and wise thoughts!
This is not of the things I struggle with the most. I love your thoughts on prayer and unanswered prayers.
I also dislike doing this (promoting my blog in a comment), but my husband who is in jail for a crime he didn’t commit wrote a letter to me about unanswered prayer and I posted it you may want to check it out http://mirandamiller.net/2015/11/17/four-secrets-of-answered-prayer/
I read your post this morning! Thanks for sharing.
Sarah, I love this post. So grateful for the privilege of prayer…to communicate directly with our Lord. So often we take for granted what a gift that is. ~ Thank you for sharing. ((blessings))
We recently had a cousin die-the second (and only living) child in a family. The why is incomprehensible but the comfort of God is real.
Wow. That is truly powerful and such an awesome reminder of praying with faith. Thank you for your words that convict my heart, Sarah!
Beautifully said Sarah. I had a friend have a still born at the last week of her pregnancy, then she carried twins and lost them too only then to finally have a live birth and healthy baby after all this. I miscarried one baby but can’t imagine the pain of loosing three in almost a year or two. Praying for these women as that is awesome that through faith they prayed and God did answer.
Thank you for linking up to “Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me”
Rachel xo
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