Answered Prayers

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers

Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

             I don't know if you've ever heard the song Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks but it's a favorite of mine. I think it's beautiful and so true and just perfect! And I've thought about that song a lot recently but today, tonight I want to talk about the prayers that we receive answers to. In the most beautiful way too. I was in the middle of a really hard situation with a friend of mine who I just love. She's wonderful, but I was in sticky spot with her so instead of deciding what was right or wrong I decided that I loved her and that I would just keep loving her despite the situation. It was hard. And that night I knelt down beside my bed and I wept. I prayed and pleaded for understanding and guidance and it might very well be one of the hardest things that I've ever experienced. And then today, four days later, the situation has been altered and cleaned up quite unexpectedly. I wept again. I couldn't believe it. Of all the blessings I was expecting from my Father in Heaven it was not this. It was not that kind of blessing but I was so grateful for it. I saw my friends text message and right there I sat down on my stairs where I'd been standing and I prayed while I cried because I don't think I could ever properly express my gratitude. It was so wonderful. So the one of the last lines in the song is "I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all" and I just want to say that it's true. He does know. And I don't know all His reasoning for everything but I do know that it's all worked out and I've learned a lot in four short days so I just want to say that I know God answers prayers. Sometimes His silence is an answer in itself but so often you just have to kneel down and be grateful for the prayers that he does answer. Tonight I'm grateful for the answered prayers.