Is He able? Is He willing?

^{Isa. 44:24} “This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:

I am the LORD,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,

Last night my wife and I were talking about prayer. It's a difficult subject because we honestly know that prayer often is unanswered. We ask God for something and see nothing. We pray for someone and nothing changes. We ask and wonder....honestly wonder....does God answer prayer? Does it matter if I pray? I know God is able to answer prayer, but I often wonder if he is willing. It's a most difficult subject to talk about.

What I don't know, what I can't know is what God is doing. He is working. He made the heavens and the earth and what I don't know is all that he actually is doing because I have prayed. I may not see what I asked, but I don't know all that God knows. I may not know what is really going on, what is really needed, what God is REALLY doing. And so, often in my life to be honest with you, I ask and don't see answers to my prayers. It's not that God doesn't answer. It's just that I don't know what's really needed, what God is really working on. It's hard when you can't see all that God is doing and often don't see the results of the prayers you ask for.

Sorry to be so honest here, but as I thought about this after my visit with my wife last night I realize that, although I don't always see answers to my prayers, I have decided to trust a good God to work it all out. That may seem to leave a lot of these questions unanswered. If that is where I'm at I am comfortable with it. I have decided to trust God rather than myself. I ask and leave the rest to him. My faith is in a God who is able and willing, a God who knows what will best meet each need and work for the eternal good of the one I pray for.

So, have I created more questions than I have answered? I hope so. I hope you are uncomfortable with this whole idea of prayer and come to a place where you pray for big things and leave the rest to God...the results of your prayers, the answers, the prayers unanswered, the reasons, and simply rest in the hands of a big God who made heaven and earth and can mold my simple prayers into great thing.