tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7338877077069607303.post8897950589448917689..comments2023-10-28T17:51:55.929+03:00Comments on Hughes Family to Moldova: A Praying Life: Chapters 21-22Jacob and Viola Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02121192290535193865noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7338877077069607303.post-64020749845280038582016-05-18T18:56:03.354+03:002016-05-18T18:56:03.354+03:00I LOVED the personal illustration from the author ...I LOVED the personal illustration from the author concerning his wife's prayer for Kim before she was even born, how she would be kept from all harm. And their recognition years later that God had answered that prayer, suggesting that proud & willful parents was more harm to a child than physical disabilities. Some might say that the prayer wasn't answered, because that's not what she was really meaning when she prayed it. <br /><br />I would say that Rom.8:26 comes into play here, how we don't even know sometimes how or what to ask so the Spirit of God intercedes for us. God knows what we need better than we do, and part of prayer is learning to trust Him even when we can't see Him working how we thought He would. Like the author says, “When we don't receive what we pray for or desire, it doesn't mean that God isn't acting on our behalf. Rather, He's weaving His story.” (pg.187) Some might focus on how something is an “unanswered prayer”; maybe we should change our perspective to it being a “better answered” prayer, even though we don't understand at the time.<br /><br />I appreciate Jacob's phrase, “I need that channel to God more than I need exits from my desert”. God often rebukes me for wanting things to be easier in my life, instead of simply just wanting Him more.<br /><br />A line in Jill's prayer journal stuck out to me: “It is really faith that is at stake – the suffering is really a side issue” (pg.191). We want to major on the suffering in our lives – probably because of our proud, self-centered natures. God is majoring on conforming me to His Son's image, and when I'm not responding to Him in a simple child-like faith & dependence, when I will not trust Him, then I have lost the battle, even if my suffering were to go away.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05040000933318386007noreply@blogger.com