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Single Minded
by Michelle Brinson
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Psalms 66:19-20 NIV
Have you ever wondered if God is truly listening? I hate to admit I wonder about that all the time – especially when I've been praying about some thing for a long time and my prayer goes unanswered.
How selfish of me to expect God would answer my prayer – my way! However, I do believe God is listening and does hear our prayers – all of them. But it doesn't mean He will answer our prayers the way we want them answered or in our timing either. God isn't a genie in a bottle where you rub it the right way and magically get 3 wishes. He's also not a vending machine where you put in your money and select just the item you want. (Although I do believe each of us is guilty at times of expecting this kind of response from God.)
It's not about what you or I can expect from God. Jesus already died on the cross for us… isn't that enough? It should be. Honestly it should. I want to remind myself of His sacrifice for me every day so I will continue to be grateful – thanking Him and praising Him - instead of selfishly asking Him all the time to do things for me that will make my life easier or better. I know for me there are many days I let His sacrifice slip from my thoughts because I get distracted by work, my life – the general busyness of this world. I long for a simpler life and in many ways I know He is calling me to it and refining me in the process. Simpler – not in the sense of an easy life, but simpler in the sense of developing a Christ-like attitude where I can face situations from a new perspective – like He did.
In the meantime, I believe He's given me some little hugs in the form of answered prayers that may seem small and trivial to some but to me – there are huge.
For years I prayed God would give me a chance to sing a solo at church or in a similar situation. All my efforts to make this happen failed… time and time again. Several months ago I just gave up on this dream. I stopped trying to make it happen and in all honesty, I just forgot about it all together. I wish you could have seen me the day when I got a call last week to sing at chapel here at work. I was having a horrible day and I remember praying… "God, are you there? Can you hear me?" Wow! While God didn't necessarily answer the prayer I was praying at that exact moment… He did answer a prayer from long ago. I truly felt this "little hug" from God saying to me, "Michelle, I do hear you and I am listening. Just be patient and I will show you My way."
It happened again this past Sunday at church. I was emotionally moved by the service and afterwards found myself sort of wandering around with all the emotions brewing up inside me and not sure what to do with them. I quickly said a prayer wishing I could physically feel the arms of the Lord surrounding me because I really needed a hug. It was only a moment later when a girl from one of my small groups came up to me and gave me the longest, biggest and best hug ever. As a single woman who lives alone… hugs like that are few and far between. Again, I knew it was a "little hug" from God.
I describe these as "little hugs" not because God is little – because I know He is a big and mighty God. But I describe them as "little hugs" because I know for God doing something like answering the two prayers I prayed were easy for Him and I know the day will come when I will be able to stand in front of Him and hold out my arms to him and I'll finally get a "big" hug (not like the hugs in this flesh) and nothing else in this world will ever compare to that kind of hug. Until then, these "little hugs" will just have to do.
Father God, I thank you so much for the wonderful hugs You give me throughout each day. Please forgive me for the times I am selfish and think only of myself. Today I ask a special blessing on all those reading this devotion today. Touch their hearts and minds Father for I know each of us longs to hear from You. I ask dear Lord, please use me in a way that is honoring, glorifying and pleasing to You – whatever that is, wherever that is and however You see fit. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus I ask these things. Amen.
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Michelle sees her marriage as a ministry and desires for it and herself to be used by God. She and her husband and son are active members of their church. She is also passionate about spreading the good news locally as well as internationally via mission trips to East Africa and wherever else the Lord leads.
Michelle is a talented writer and speaker who prays God will use her in sharing His hope and truths to those who are hurting and in need of love.
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