Answered and Unanswered Prayers

The day we knew we weren't going to get the file of the little girl we had been waiting for Matthew misplaced his wedding ring.  We looked all over but couldn't find it.  I stopped to pray.  And shortly after I found the ring!
I wanted to share with Edmund because I want to teach him about God's love and care.  I told Edmund how we had been looking for Papa's ring and that Mama prayed to God to find it and He helped me find it!
Suddenly I couldn't talk very well.  I felt chocked up.  And I said, "You know Edmund, God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we want.  But He loves us.  And sometimes I think He answers the small prayer requests so that we have faith to keep trusting Him and keep praying to Him in the bigger ones, or the ones that seem like they are unanswered."
Early that month Matthew had asked me,

"Why do you think God answers prayers about lost keys and such but sometimes says no to ones that we know He would want to say yes to?"

I didn't have an answer then.  But now maybe I do in part.

Last November I met a beautiful lady, Rachel.  She was battling an aggressive form of cancer.  I prayed for her and fought as a prayer warrior on her behalf.  Last month her earthly battle ended.  She now rests in Jesus.  She was one of those people who you could feel the peace and presence of Jesus in.  She leaves behind three little girls and a loving husband.  And my heart screams, "Why!?"  Why didn't God answer this prayer to heal her?

A while back we lost a white truck and brown trailer that Edmund loves and I was praying to find it and I did! When I gave it to Edmund I told him that I had prayed and Jesus helped me find them. We prayed together to thank Jesus.

We had again lost this pair for about a week, and he kept asking and asking for it so I told him I had looked but couldn't find it. His response? A smile and "Jesus." So we knelt and prayed. And then we looked. All over the house. As we did I kept praying. I know it is just a toy but it is a faith moment in the making. Then I moved something and heard what I suspected was trucks. And there they were! I brought them out to Edmund and said, "We prayed for Jesus to help find your white truck and brown trailer and do you think He helped us?" Edmund was still and looking at my cupped hands. I opened them and his smile lit the room! He ran toward me and took his toys and we gathered to pray and thank Jesus!
















Does the pain still hurt when the answer isn't what we prayed for?  Yes.  Very much yes.
But when I remember all the answered prayers to the small, "unimportant" things then I can remember that God is love and He is working for us, not against us.  These little answers are reminders that He is working powerfully for His children.