A God Who Answers Prayers
“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my voice.” — Psalm 17:6
Sometimes we find ourselves in challenging situations, and the reality is that we may be there for a while. There is a natural desire to quit, search for an exit door, or figure out an escape route because the difficult place feels too stressful to handle at the time.
I recently found myself in one of those situations, so I decided to fast and pray to receive a word from God.
My goal was to fast from food until noon every workday—Monday through Friday. Each morning, I would get up around 5:00 a.m. to read my Bible and journal. I enjoyed my quiet time alone with God, and I felt His presence every morning that I rose to meet Him.
Although the Scriptures spoke to me, I did not receive a clear answer right away.
On Monday, I got up early, opened my devotional Bible, and read wherever the pages landed. Then, I took out my pen and wrote down the Scriptures, along with notes from the devotional readings connected to them. I did the same thing on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The question I continued to write in my journal was:
“Lord, should I stay, or should I go?”
I followed that question with Psalm 17:6:
“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my voice.”
I wrote that Scripture down often because, to me, it meant that God would hear my question and answer me.
Thursday morning came, and I was excited to wake up around 5:00 a.m. to get into the Word. When I looked at the clock, I was disappointed to see that it was only 4:00 a.m. But I could not wait. I was too excited to be in His presence before the rest of my household awakened.
So, I got up at 4:00 a.m., posed my question again, and followed it with Psalm 17:6.
Later that evening, my husband came to me with a children’s book that our eldest son had read earlier that day. The book was called What the Road Said by Cleo Wade.
My husband handed me the book with a huge smile.
“It’s really good,” he said, beaming.
I looked at the book and remembered buying it for our children at Barnes & Noble at least three or four years ago. However, I had never read it to them or read it for myself. We have gathered so many books over the years that our children practically have their own library.
My husband and I make sure our boys read a few books before bedtime, so during their reading time, I decided to read this one for myself.
As soon as I opened the book, I saw a picture of a long, winding road. At the top of the page there was a question:
“Have you ever wanted to go in a different direction?”
Then, a road appeared and the character said:
“Where do you lead? The road said be a leader and find out.”
As I continued turning the pages to learn about the road ahead, two words became the foundational theme of the book:
Keep going.
Every time I read those words, I felt a stillness in my spirit that caused me to pause. I felt as though I was receiving a message from God.
One page repeated the words “Keep going” over and over again. I gently ran my hands across the words, and it was almost as though I could hear them being whispered in my ear.
The words stood tall like redwood trees on every page, while everything else seemed to fade into the background.
I finished the book delighted by the pictures, the author, and the message. It all brought a smile to my face.
The next morning, I completed my usual prayer, Scripture reading, and journaling time. I planned to fast until noon, just as I had done throughout the week.
Once I settled in at work and sat down at my desk, my daily devotional message from ‘Saved In the City” from Instagram popped up on my phone.
I could not believe my eyes.
It read:
“This is your reminder not to quit. The harvest often comes after the moment we’re tempted to stop. Keep going! Galatians 6:9.”
There those two words were again:
Keep going.
They appeared on the final day of my week of fasting and praying. For me, this was confirmation. This was the answer to the question I had written in my journal all week.
But it did not stop there.
Later that evening, after I arrived home, one of my good friends sent me a motivational message from a popular therapist I follow on Instagram, Candace Barnes. My friend had no idea what I had been praying about, but his timing could not have been better.
As soon as I opened the video, she said:
“What a privilege it is to be tired from work that you once prayed for. What a privilege it is to be carrying responsibilities that are proof that your prayers were answered. What a privilege it is to look at the version of you who would have given anything to be where you are today.
Don’t get so focused on what’s next that you forget what it took to get here. The life that feels ordinary to you now was once the miracle you were hoping for.
So, take a deep breath, be grateful, and just keep going.”
I was amazed by the many different avenues God chose to use to answer my question.
I love that I serve a God who knows exactly where I am at all times. He knows when and how to get my attention.
I am grateful that He answered my prayer with direction. I was also reminded that the challenging situation I am facing is connected to something I once prayed for.
This situation is only for a moment, and God has promised never to leave me. Therefore, I am never alone.
I will be obedient.
I will not quit.
I will be grateful.
And I will keep going.
As I continue traveling along this winding road, I will create a few new prayers along the way. I know that God will hear me and answer them because He is with me.
He is a God who answers prayers.
