Growing My Faith

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Growing My Faith Part 16 - The Reward of Prayer

by Gail Rodgers
Susan has not yet received the answer to her prayer. Yet she has received something even more precious than the thing she sought from God’s hand. Susan has experienced God.

God promises a reward to those who earnestly seek Him. He says:

“Anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

What does God’s reward look like if it isn’t the very answer to our request? Other verses give us insight into God’s thoughts for us as we earnestly seek Him. He tells us:

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

I think that sometimes God holds back on the answers to our prayers for “things” because He wants us to wait on Him, to find the strength in Him to run our part of the race of life and not be weary. Sometimes He waits for us to earnestly seek Him rather than simply an answer or a solution to our problem.
God does invite us to:

“Approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

That help may be the strength He gives us to “mount up with wings as eagles” and to soar above our circumstances with His strength.
Seeking God’s face to know Him better will reap rewards far beyond anything we seek from His hand. It’s not wrong to ask God for things. It is part of prayer. Yet too often it is the biggest part of our prayers.
Try setting aside your list of requests from the hand of God for just a little while. Take those moments in prayer and tell God you want to seek His face. Ask Him to draw near to you and to lift you up as on the wings of an eagle. His presence and His comfort will enfold you. To be incased in His presence and His holiness will meet your need beyond anything you could ask for. Put aside your list and allow Him to change you.
prayer & reflection

Holy Father,
I thank you for Your interest in me beyond my request list. Thank you that You desire to change me and to lift me up as on the wings of the eagle. Today I want to seek Your face. I want to see You clearly and desire Your presence more than the things I think I need. I want to feel You as the anchor of my soul, steadying me through the mountains and valleys of my journey with a strength that lets me run and not be weary. Encase me in Your presence and Your holiness today. May I experience You in a fresh way!
I pray this in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.