How Long Should a Christian ....

No time limit ... not that we can put a time limit on God. Silence is an answer. Of course we may have received an answer and not realized that God did answer.

 

I know of many folk who have prayed for decades concerning the salvation of their children. That's hard to fathom in a Minute Rice state of mind. How long should we wait patiently for the Lord?

I'm reminded of these verses Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NAS77
7 And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me--to keep me from exalting myself!
8 Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Mr. Webster defines entreat as, earnestly supplicated, besought or solicited; importuned; urgently requested. Three times, Paul says. I do not envision the three times as being Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Mid-week prayer meeting. I picture Paul fasting and praying in such a manner that the duration of his prayer did not matter.

I'd like all my prayers answered quickly and exactly how they were offered. I'm not God and I do not know His complete plan. Bobby Richardson was a second baseman for the NY Yankees. He is the author of my signature line which I believe is how all of us should pray.

 

I wish there was a set time on these things, ktn, but there's not. I've prayed for something for nearly fifteen years now and I've not seen it come to pass. I continue to pray for it, and I've asked God to take the burden away from me if it's not meant to be. So far, I still have this particular burden, so I continue praying.

Paul prayed for something on several occasions, and the Lord eventually told him that His grace was sufficient. Basically, if you have a limp, be prepared to run with a limp, as it may not be God's will to heal, or to send a specific form of help, or to provide you with loads of wealth.

My grandfather told me when I first entered the ministry that I should not pray for healing, as it may not be God's will to heal someone. And the last thing you want is for someone teetering on the edge of faith to turn from God because they didn't get what they wanted from their prayer. Instead, he cautioned, I should pray for the will of God to be accomplished.

 

Silence is NOT an answer.

 

Why is it not?

 

Silence can scream very loudly.

 

If you were in a math class and you asked the teacher how a certain problem was solved, and the teacher just looked at you and said nothing, would you consider that an answer? I wouldn't. I would argue the teacher actually did not answer you.

I don't believe in unanswered prayers. I believe sometimes we rail within ourselves so loudly that we fail to hear the answer at first, or sometimes the answer is "no," but we refuse to accept that. The truth is, certain types of so-called Christianity, namely those under the banners of "prosperity gospel" and the "name it, claim it" movement have convinced weak believers that God is really just a spiritual ATM, handing out blessings and wealth simply because you prayed, and never once mentioning the will of God.

 

Thank you!!!!
This is one of a very few voices I have heard (seen??) that expresses my feelings concerning praying for the infirm. I have always been uncomfortable praying in public (SS etc.) because I have purposely avoided praying for healing per se'; quite the opposite of most.

My son has recently been diagnosed with some kind of kidney disease, (one of those 50 cent medical terms) and while I have prayed that he would be cured - "if it's Your will",- my prayer is primarily that His will be done, to accomplish whatever He is aiming for from his life.
Thankfully my son has a great attitude and says that he would love to be cured, but he will live with whatever God allots him.

Again thanks for the comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

When I have a prayer request I petition the Lord and then leave it there. I'm not into this idea of "begging" as sometimes we might get exactly what we ask for.