Garth Brooks wrote a song called “Unanswered Prayers.” For those of you unfamiliar with this song, it talks about how the narrator thanks God for not answering a prayer that he had prayed a long time ago. He was thankful because his life turned out great, even though God didn’t do what the narrator thought best at the time. Often I’ve wondered about this song. How is it good that God doesn’t always answer our prayers? Doesn’t it say in Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you?” How can it be that God does not give us what we ask?

Then I turned to Proverbs 19:21, which states, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” And Proverbs 16:9, (my one of my favorite Bible passages) “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”

How can it be that I can ask God for something that He will not give to me? Many, many times I wonder, worry, and fret over this fact. “Will God give me what I want?” “Is this what I need?” “How can I get what I think I need with THAT?”

God is all about TRUST! I know that that is a big word for some of us (especially me!), but think about it. Don’t you think that the CREATOR of all things can figure out a plan for us? Sure, I don’t want to accept the fact that I don’t know what’s going on in my existence. Maybe I WANT to be in control. But, I know in my heart (and maybe NOT my head) that God knows what’s going on. He’s got it all under control. That’s the great part about God. He got it all in the palm of His hand. Like the song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand.”

The omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God that we love and believe in has it all together. How great is THAT!? We don’t have to overstress or overwork ourselves, because we know in our hearts that someone GREATER than we will EVER(!) be has it under control. I don’t know about you, but that makes ME sleep soundly at night.

Now, here’s the funny part. Don’t worry! No, this is not a repeat of the advice Bobby McFerran gave us in the 1990’s, or the words of wisdom spoken by animated characters in a Disney movie. This is God, straight-up and true, in Matthew 6:25ff, “Do not worry about you life…” He tells us outright. How wonderful is it that we do not have to overstress about the things of this world? He’s got it under control. Remember this, when you hear the Garth Brooks song. Yes, we may not get what we want, but we have the assurance that someone greater knows exactly what we need, when we need it. Patience is a virtue (Galatians 5:22-23).

Psalm 90:4a “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by.” God works on His own time.

May He give us the faith to wait for His time, too.

For more help, see Psalm 25, Psalm 23, and Psalm 139 (the Psalm of my late Step-Grandfather, Richard Phillips).

Struggle is a hard thing.  A hard and wretched thing that constantly trips us up and pulls us down into the depths of doubt and despair.  The path is slow-going, full of potholes and traffic jams, things that tie us down and pull us backward.  These things make us have to fight and claw our way forward.  It seems a never-ending battle.  The quarrels with family and friends, the lack of emotion or contempt we find in relationships, the misguided or ill-spent time and effort on plans that don’t come to fruition.  The pains, the anger, the sadness, the tears and fears and struggles seem to rise up out of the dust of the earth and pull on our hearts and minds, trying to drag us down into the dust from which our bodies came.   This struggle is not against our own bodies, though, or our hearts.  It is against Satan and his power.  Paul, in Ephesians 6:12, states, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

But where do we find help in this struggle?  The psalmist said, in chapter 121, verse 1, “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?”

That answer is direct and true in the next verse: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  God is our Hope in struggle, our Strength in trial and tribulation.  David, when he was delivered from his struggles with Saul, sang these words, as a reminder to us of our comfort in distress: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.  He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior – from violent men you save me.” (2 Samuel 22:2-3)  How true do those words ring, especially in our own times of pain and suffering?  It is that comfort in our struggle that allows us to go on, free from the burden of hopelessness and fear.

And still we know that these struggles have a purpose and plan, even though we cannot see it.  “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3b-4)

So, do not wallow in the pain of struggles, do not become downtrodden in tribulation.  Instead, hold your head high and look to heaven, to our Strength and Shield, our Hope and Comfort, our Joy and Peace.  God’s Power will overcome even the lowliest of days and the darkest of nights in our lives.  Cling to your faith in Christ and the promises of the Gospel.  The struggle is just part of the ride.  But it doesn’t last.  Love does

For comfort and strength, also see:  Ephesians 6:10-18 (The Armor of God), Psalm 27 and 31, 1 Corinthians 13:8a, Luke 9:57-62 (The road is not easy).

Peace and joy to you from God, our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has seen fit for us to wake this morning and breathe a deep breath, and go about the wonderful business of our day.  How joyous it is that we may move about on this glorious creation, which is awesome and inspiring.

Now, I know that many of you are wondering if I am feeling okay.  You probably think that I’m a little out of it, being late July, with all of the heat of mid-summer baking the brain, the drudgery of another work week finally completed, and the dull existence that we all travel though each day.  Or so it seems.

Instead, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all to stop, for one moment, whatever you are doing, and listen.  Maybe you hear the noise of a busy office space, the rustling of a computer lab, or the shuffling of your roommate or spouse around the room.  Or maybe you have it as lucky as I do, with my wife and son asleep, and the room being quiet, except for the whirring of the computer and the soft breathing of a sleeping loved one at 1 AM.

But, nonetheless, stop and listen.  Listen to your own breathing, your heartbeat, the gentleness of life around you.  Is not our God great and amazing for giving us this gift of life?!  Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!”

YES!!!!  Rejoice, be glad, sing if you want.  Take a moment, not more than two minutes of your day (which I think we all can spare), and truly think of something that the Lord has given you.  Your answer cannot be: “At least it isn’t Monday….”  NO!!!  Instead, think about your family, friends, health, life, and the love with which God blesses us.  Say a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord.

Life will get you down.  There is no question about that.  Sin will drag and claw at you.  It will prowl around you like a roaring lion looking for something to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  But instead of following it aimlessly down the spiral, fight, punch, and kick as it tries to depress and degrade you and tear you limb from limb.  Remember John 3:16 and the message it has.  Relish the Words of your Baptism, which brings you to new life in Christ and the joy of eternal salvation.  Enthrall yourself in the glory of God.  Take a few moments every day and ponder the wonder of the life God has given you through faith in Christ Jesus.

Even though we do live the troubles of Psalm 54, 55, and 56, we must remember that God watches over us, and will take care of us.  And because of this knowledge, we must turn to Psalm 66, and “Shout with joy to God!”

Every once in a while, stop and remember the wonderful, glorious, awesome, amazing, and inspiring life that we have.  God wants us to enjoy it as loving children enjoy any gift a father gives them.  Don’t forget to be happy!!!

Rejoice (!) in the following:  Romans 5, Ephesians 1:15-2:10, Psalms 117, 118, 23, 9, Luke 1:46-55 (The Magnificat), Luke 1:68-75.