Your Last Resort?
By Carlos Santiago
They’re the kind of prayers that you see in the movies. You know the ones. The good guy is surrounded, injured, and out of ammo. As the enemy creeps closer to his position, our hero looks up. “God, if you’re up there ... I could really use some help.”
Sound familiar?
We had a few of those moments in our marriage. Our problems were so big, we had no choice but to pray.
When we pray last-resort prayers, we accept that we are powerless to change the situation, and this is good. Other times, it’s easy for us to steal the credit from God. When we’re at the end of our ropes, however, God’s hand is far more apparent.
I’ll never forget a conversation I had with my boss. The country was in a recession and he offered me a choice: Travel to India for two to four months to help set up a new help desk or be laid off.
My wife and 3-year-old daughter depended on my income, but they also depended on my presence. I could not imagine leaving them for so long. He gave me until Monday to give my answer.
That weekend we prayed a last-resort prayer, Lord, move my boss out of the way of our family, or move me to where you want me.
I walked into my boss’s office that Monday prepared to be let go.
When I told him I would not go to India, He sat expressionless for a long while. Then, inexplicably, he offered to create a new position for me—equal pay, flexible hours, no travel requirements.
I could almost see God standing behind him, whispering the words into his ear.
God hasn’t always answered my prayers with such dramatic flair. But it does make me wonder: How many of my “big” problems could have been handled while they were still little problems?
What if prayer wasn’t my last resort—but my first?
The Good Stuff: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Action Points: Make a list of little things to pray for. Find a time before the day is over to pray with your spouse, for those little things. If there is a big thing on your mind, pray for that too.
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