Have you ever prayed to drive home safely… and then you do?
Or prayed that you can sleep well… and then you do?
Or prayed that you’ll be able to get everything done before your deadline… and then you do?
There are a lot of prayers that are answered without fanfare. Without drama.
They are difficult to recognize because they look like natural happenings.
I think back to King Benjamin’s stinging words about being ungrateful and unprofitable servants.
How many answered prayers am I missing in my life?!
How many times do I pray for my little girl to grow and develop well… and then she does? How many times do I pray for my baby boy to take a great nap… and then he does?
I think of King Limhi and his people, who had been praying and pleading for help from the people in Zarahemla. They had sent out search parties, but never found them. The Lamanites’ oppression was so bad, and they needed relief! Finding people from Zarahemla would be their answer to their prayers.
And suddenly, a group of strangers arrive in the land. Limhi has them bound in prison. He plans to put them to death, but he’s curious why they are so bold, so he allows them to speak before killing them.
It isn’t until Ammon is permitted to speak that King Limhi realizes that these common, wandering strangers are the ultimate answer to their years of pleading.
Are we missing the answers?
Are we looking for fanfare and drama, all while missing the ordinary answers unfolding each day?
Quotation from Raymond A. Haeckel, Ensign, Dec 1990
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
3 Responses
Thank you for your thoughts about prayer. It is true for me also, as I think of the many prayers over the years offered about the same things you pointed out, without any thought that they have all been answered. Just thinking that it all happened under my own steam. How ungrateful and thoughtless I have been not realizing that many of my prayers have been answered without acknowledging the hand of Heavenly Father in the daily ordinary happenings of my life. I am very grateful for opening my eyes to such an important way to give gratitude to Heavenly Father for everything we have and are.
I too have had to re-assess my thoughts and feelings in regards to recognising the Lords answers to my prayers. I am still learning and growing every day. I have learned to recognize the small and simple things like food in my belly, a roof over my head and a loving family. Over time I have learned more about the seemingly unseen and unrecognized blessings that the Lord has poured out upon me. And the continuing blessing of having that magnified so that my understanding has become more well rounded. I am amazed quite regularly with revelation and inspiration that was once not available to me and I know its because of my prayers for greater understanding and ongoing revelation that the Lord is opening the Heavens as he has promised. Only through faith and the blessings of the Lord Omnipotent can these miracles be realized. Line upon line, precept upon precept,here a little there a little. And the windows of Heaven will be opened and blessings poured out upon you without measure.
By Prayer our Soul gains peace when we leave our issues problems in Jesus Christ’s hands not my will Gods will be done Christ answers softly quietly and times we will feel a great warmth come over us and a burning in our Bosom I love Jesus Christ and desire to do Gods will always we will all have ETERNAL Life by following Gods Plan of Happiness Plan Salvation I do know that God was resurrected and Jesus Christ lives these are the Latter Days let’s get well prepared to meet God again I know without a doubt that Book Mormon is true and that it goes as companion to the bible Amen