prayer persistently Archives - Growing Through God's Word

How to Hang On

How-to-Hang-On---Brenda-Wood

Have you ever been in a hopeless situation?
People pray but God doesn’t respond.

That’s where Peter was. In Acts 12:1-5, Herod beheaded James and arrested Peter. People prayed but Peter was still in prison.

Just in the nick of time, an angel arrived to ‘save the day.’ This is not as wonderful as it sounds. The angel swatted him awake, and told him to get a move on. (Verse 6-8)

Peter thought it was a dream or a vision. Surely God didn’t answer prayer like this? Did He? (Verse 9)

Peter had trouble convincing others that he was free. (Verse 13-17)

In spite of the miracle of freedom, Peter is still in danger. See how carefully the writer couches the truth in verse 17b. ‘Then he left and went to some other place.’

Prayer isn’t answered where, why, when, or how we think it will be.

Our job is to pray, hang on through the situation, recognise the answers when they come and move forward into obedience.

Prayer:

Lord, remind us to pray fervently and persistently no matter what your answers might be. Amen (From Acts 12:5)

Tweetable:

Do you think prayer is answered exactly how we think it should be answered? (Tweet this)

Brenda J. Wood

A popular motivational speaker, Brenda, of Barrie, Ontario is known for her common sense wisdom, sense of humour and quirky comments. Brenda especially enjoys speaking at women’s retreats and conferences, community events, Mops, World Day of Prayer, and Stonecroft Ministries.

A prolific author, her current books include:

The Big Red Chair: a children’s book dealing with the loss of a grandparent.
Meeting Myself: Snippets from a Fractured Mind: the author’s recovery from abuse and eating disorders.
Hearts Under Construction: A motivational cookbook designed to feed both body and soul
Heartfelt: 366 Devotions for Common Sense Living.
God, Gluttony and You: a Bible Study dealing with our relationship to food.
The Pregnant Pause of Grief: the first trimester of widowhood