During the last Church Prayer Meeting, another sister shared about an answered prayer. She had planned many months before to go overseas with her son to visit her in-laws during the Chinese Lunar New Year. She thus went to the tour agency to book tickets. To her dismay, the prices have gone up by several hundred dollars. She could not afford the price. She needed to pay about $1000 for the trip. She was very upset and prayed.
Sometime later, she got a phone call from her insurance agent who told her that she would receive a special bonus of $1000 because she had been paying her insurance premiums faithfully for many years. She was overjoyed—not only because of that $1000 bonus but more so because she experienced the miraculous provision of God—The amount she received was just the amount she needed.
This incident reminds us of several important truths. First, God answers prayers: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Mat 7:7-8). When you are in need, you can pray to your Father who will give you what you need. Are you in some kind of a trouble? “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Cor 10:13). But you must pray and you will receive. Hence, cheer up and do not be afraid.
Second, why did the Lord give her just the amount she needed? Whether or not this was the Lord’s intention, this had helped her and us know that this $1000 came from the Lord. But there is a biblical reason: When Paul asked the Lord to remove a “thorn in my flesh” (2 Cor 10:7) which had caused Paul great pain physically, the Lord did not. Instead, the Lord replied that “My grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:10). In other words, the Lord did not totally remove the pain from Paul. Neither did He totally ignore Paul’s pain. Instead, the Lord gave just enough grace to overcome his difficulty. In this way, Paul will experience God’s power.
Perhaps, it was for this reason that the Lord gave this sister in the Lord just the needed amount—that she may experience the power of God. At any rate, she and those of us who heard about how the Lord answered her prayer felt the working of God’s power in her life—and in our lives too.
Thus, if you are going through very difficult times, times that you feel are beyond what you can bear, this is also an opportunity for you to experience the power and faithfulness of God. Do not doubt God but continue to wait for His intervention. His help may not come in spectacular ways but help will come in time to save you so that you will not fall. For now, continue to walk close to and right before Him.