Psalm 77: 10-11 NKJV
Bear with me as I get through these. A little background, if you will. Last week, I saw that my mother was reading a little pamphlet titled "When God Isn't Answering Your Prayer." It was an excerpt of Psalms: Folk Songs of Faith by Ray Steadman. When I first saw the title, I started hearing the lyrics: "you got to name it/claim it/believe it/(believe it and receive it)." And I shook my head. I couldn't believe that came in my mind. And I started thinking about all those sayings I got that were wild and crazy. When I first heard the song, "Faith Is" by Dottie Peoples, I was all over it. I was naming and claiming and believing God for all those desires and wants I so desperately "needed." I put "needed" in quotes, because I really didn't need it. Sure, they would have made life more bearable, but I could live without half of the stuff I wanted and desired. And when I learned the difference between what I wanted versus what I needed, naming and claiming came to a stand still. Especially after singing those lyrics one day, I plainly heard Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done For Me Lately." So, needless to say, I stopped naming and claiming. When it came back to me last week, I chuckled, because if it is taking forever and a day to get an answer to your prayer, it probably means no or wait. I'm just gonna be real. If you think I'm wrong, the comments box is below and we'll have a nice, godly discussion about it. I could probably learn something from you.
Last Sunday, I saw that my mother was done with the pamphlet, and passed it on to me. My money was real nonexistent, and my computer had some issues. I checked around, and saw that it would cost me too much to have it checked out and then fixed, so I switched to the other computer in the house: my mother's. Compared to my computer, my mother's is from the 1970s. You click on something, go take a shower, get dressed, and boom your Internet is finally up and running. I was doing paying work, and promised to work up to ten hours, so I would schedule around her. It was hard. Imagine my non-surprise when her Internet began to fail. I switched to working in the wee hours. And then the weekend hit, and her Internet was out. So, basically, no computer worked in the house.
I was crying out to God, praying, just bemoaning my own existence. When my mother wrote her note that she posted on the pamphlet, "Your problem is spiritual." My first thought was "Ya Think?!" But I figured reading the pamphlet wouldn't hurt. And Mr. Stedman made the best pitch. He started out with prayer is not the first thing you do when you are in desperate need or I guess, any need. Oh, really? I was hooked. I kept reading. He covered Psalm 77, and sure enough, the writer of Psalm 77 was going through the same things as me. Minus, you know, the computer issues. I had just spent about three weeks, begging, pleading, and moaning and whining and complaining. And it is what a lot of us do. All of us have not arrived, so to speak, so we go here first. What, God, why? When, God, when? Yeah, we pray, but sometimes our prayers turn crying and accusing. Mr. Stedman kept his pitch up, and I was reading to find out what I was doing wrong. Did he make it plain? Yes and no. He didn't out and out say stop complaining, and whining, and murmuring and crying and pleading. He just said the writer of Psalm 77 was on the edge of the abyss and turned away. Say wha? For real? For really reals? I was beside myself.
See, I am not a fan of huge sales pitches. Can't stand them as a matter of fact. Tell me how much it is and I will let you know if I want it or not. I couldn't believe I got played like that. Bump that, I thought. I pulled out my phone, turned on my Bible app, and read Psalm 77. The writer spent several verses crying, pleading, wondering, and accusing. Then he stopped because he thought of all the things God had done for him. And isn't that what we do? Mr. Stedman went on and on about walking in unbelief, but when I read Psalm 77, I thought the writer had done what I did. I had forgotten.
Yeah, sure, I'll give you that the situation may be new and tougher than the last one, but if He did it once, God will do it again. It seems to us that either situation is insurmountable or we can't understand why we are always going through or why the same things keep happening. I'll cover the cycling on another date. I knew my mother's service would come back, and I could explain to my boss what happened. So, I calmed down and read two books from Ted Dekker. By the way, you should check him out if you like Christian thrillers. As for my other issues, I remembered all of my "big and tough" issues and how God brought me out of those. I stopped murmuring and accusing, and set about doing what I could do. I worked my hours, and spoke with someone for free about my computer and purchased what I needed, and Bam! Here I am, back on my computer, writing this up.
Like I always tell myself, "shut up and quit trippin." I began praising and thanking, and I just chilled on out. He is working on what we need, and what will bring Him glory. Sometimes we come out of a situation that everyone will know only God could have gotten you out. And then sometimes, it is so you can't say it was anybody or anything else. And when I say you, I don't mean the general you, I mean YOU! God is opening those doors and providing, and when He wants to bless, there is nothing and no one who can stop Him.
Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!
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