In the wake of the tragic shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, which is horrible and left a community in such mourning, it seems that some people will take it as an opportunity to take a stab at the Christian faith.
I’m not going to talk about the shooting, which like I said was horrific and terrible, but about one thing that caught my attention in the aftermath.
One person, I won’t even state the name as the tweet has since been deleted and it truly doesn’t matter who it was, felt compelled to tweet out the following.
Very surprising that there would be a mass shooting at a Christian school given that lack of prayer is often blamed for these horrible events. Is it possible they weren’t praying enough or correctly despite being a Christian school?
Twitter account
Now, I won’t regard the first statement, although it is false. But I do want to focus for a moment on the second question because in my opinion, this shows how people misunderstand what prayer is.
Prayer is not something that will keep us from all evil. No amount of praying enough or in “the correct way” will keep bad things from happening. God isn’t a genie in a bottle that will turn prayers into magical wishes and making bad things not occur. We aren’t placed in some happy bubble with no hardships.
How I wish, but that’s not the world we live in.
Prayer is, simply put, communication with God. Talking with Him. Building relationship with Him. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Growing up, I used to think that I needed to have so many ye, thou, thee, in order for God to hear me. That’s wrong. God just wants to hear from us and He also wants to talk to us, so like in any relationship, we need to take time to listen for Him as well.
We live in a fallen world. Tragedy and terrible things happen. These things don’t happen because people didn’t pray enough or in the right way! Could God keep bad things from happening, of course He could! Why doesn’t He?
I have no idea.
I do know that God does hear your prayers, He just doesn’t always answer prayers in the way we expect, and that’s okay. Again, it doesn’t mean that He doesn’t hear us or isn’t listening. It’s because His ways are higher. His plans are greater, even if our meager human minds can’t see it.
Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear.
Psalm 10:17
My mother-in-law had brain cancer. I prayed for so long for her to be healed. She was such an incredible woman. When she passed away, I asked God why He wouldn’t answer my prayer. Why didn’t He heal her? She had so much influence and could’ve reached so many people for Him! But the thing is, He did answer my prayer. He did heal her. In the best way. She is no longer in pain. She is joyous and happy and turning heaven upside down with laughter right now. Was it in the way that I wanted? No. But she is healed and whole.
God loves you and He hears you. Sometimes it’s so hard for us to comprehend this when bad things happen. We cry out asking, “God, where are you? Why didn’t you hear my prayer?”
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers.
1 Peter 3:12
He hears us. He listens. We need to remember even in the midst of the trouble His ways are higher. His plans are greater and that all things can turn around for His good and glory.
Joseph was thrown in prison and prayed consistently. He ended up second hand to Pharaoh and helping save the world from starvation. He wouldn’t have been able to do that had God just answered His prayers the way Joseph wanted.
Paul, also in prison, prayed and while He prayed wrote letters that consist of the New Testament all the while stating to have joy. The guy was in prison! Chained to a guard! And he’s telling people about joy and the joy he has. He talks about praying without ceasing and praying for others! His prayers may not have been answered in the way he expected or asked, but it wasn’t because he was praying wrong or not enough. And think of how many people have been reached and touched by the letters he wrote while he was imprisoned!
Jesus, as he knelt on the ground in the garden pleading with God to take away the fate that was about to happen to Him, but still said Lord, whatever you want I’m yours. As much as it pained God to send Jesus to the cross, He allowed it for Him to wipe away all sins from each and every one of us!
For my thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are your ways My ways. For as the heaves are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
Bad things will happen, but where we put our trust when those things occur determines our outlook and the joy that we can have while going through those things.
Prayer is key to that because building that relationship, that communication with our heavenly Father gives us comfort, peace, hope, and Godfidence when hardships happen.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and fine me when you search for me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
angelaschmeling 