prayers | Dena Netherton: My Father's World, My Father's Words

I found a couple of my old prayer journals while I was reorganizing. They were dated from the mid-eighties. I was about to toss them in the trash, but then stopped at the last second.

I opened one of the journals and read some of my entries. Names of people I hadn’t thought of for years filled the journal’s lines. Amy, Nicole, Myra, Jess, etc. Some of the prayer requests were about health struggles. Some financial challenges. Some concerned problems in their marriages.

Also in this section of the journal was the name of my husband, and my children—tiny tots at this time. And last, my own personal requests.

I turned some more pages and found my favorite category: “Letters to God.”

Some of these entries expressed my yearning for a greater maturity in my faith. Some were about challenges with people where I worked and how I needed to grow in love for each of these co-workers. Some letters simply expressed my praise and thankfulness.

I remember feeling, way back then, that many of these prayer requests seemed to never be answered. Especially the ones for my loved ones. Why does God take such a long time to answer those prayer requests that are most near and dear?

But, sitting on my bed, reading through the journal, through the perspective of thirty years, I saw that almost every one of my prayers had been met. These specific requests usually required an attitude adjustment in me. About my friends, goals, my husband, my children.

Attitude adjustments take time. The Lord rarely zaps us with instant emotional healing. He uses hardship, coupled with time to teach us to submit to His wonderful ways, to lead us to greater dependence on His strength, to produce wisdom and patience.

But He does answer prayers.

If you’re like me and you tend to forget the Lord’s faithfulness to answer prayers, keep a prayer journal. You’ll be amazed as you read older journal entries when you see His footprints all over your life.

It’s great to look forward, to press onward toward your goals.

But every once in a while, it’s also good to look back and see how far the Lord has brought you.

“Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High.’ I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds.” (Psalm 77: 10-12 NIV Bible)

In January of 2013, Bruce and I decided that we needed to be closer to our church in Longmont. So we put our beautiful Estes Park house on the market, confident that we would soon be packing and moving into a house within a few minutes of church.

Each new year, I ask the Lord for one clear message to focus my heart and mind around. This year, it was “trust in God.” As a believer I constantly remind myself that we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Co. 5:7). This message and my trust would be tested over and over in the coming months.

Each Sunday, after church, Bruce and I would drive to various housing areas and study the locale.

Weeks passed. Our house attracted many lookers, but no takers. We shook our heads. Our house was beautiful, fairly priced, in excellent condition, in a good neighborhood, and located in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Months passed. We prayed for clarification. Why, Lord, is the sale of our house taking so long? We trust You, but…

The summer months arrived. And still no contract on our house. People at church constantly asked us, “haven’t you sold your house yet?” And all we could do was shake our heads and say, “The Lord must have some reason why He’s delaying the sale.”

We were doing the right things to sell the house.We were praying.
Our friends were praying.
We had the right reasons for selling.

In mid-August, Bruce was advised by his boss at work that it would be best for him to work on site at the plant. That’s south Denver. About 50 miles south of our targeted home search. I had my heart set on the Longmont area, but thought, maybe this is why the Lord hasn’t allowed us to sell our house yet.

The very next day an older couple came to see our house, fell in love with it and made a fair offer. Yay! Thank You, Lord!

If our prayer had been answered way back in January or February, we would have bought a house in Longmont. Then we would have had to turn right around and sell that house so we could be closer to Bruce’s work in south Denver.

God doesn’t always show us why He withholds a blessing. And I’ve never known Him to explain Himself. Because we Christians are commanded to “walk by faith and not by sight.” And, after all, He’s the Lord of the entire universe!

But this delayed answered helped Bruce and I to grow in trust. God walks ahead of us, to prepare places that our feet will tread. He loves us, as any wonderful Father does, and wants to bless us and protect us.

Yes, we have also experienced times when the Lord has not intervened even when we’ve been on our face, pleading for a quick answer. Perhaps we’ll never know why He delayed.

We must walk by faith even then.

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5,6 NIV Bible)