Your Words Have Been Heard

                        

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Matthew 6:7

As I learn to pray and trust God more, I find I am always being stretched.  A few years ago, I was praying and I found myself repeating my concerns over and over.  A still voice reminded me of the verse in Matthew.  “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”

I said to God, “I know Lord, just let me say it one more time”.  I felt the still voice again, “I know what you want”.  I continued, “Well, let me express it better just once more”.   Again, the voice whispered, “I know what you want”.  But Lord, I persisted, “Let me summarize with better clarity”.  And God said, “Do you trust me?”  It was then I exercised self control, and the temptation to ramble subsided.  Immediately, Daniel came to my mind.

Daniel 10:12-13 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.  But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”

My rambling showed a lack of trust.  It was a way to try to manipulate God.  If I could just pray enough then He would answer.  I am thankful God is patient with me.  He heard my prayer and was already at work, even though I could not see it.