When God answers your prayers do you stop and rejoice or make another request?
I was sitting in my war room the other day, and before I even started to pray I stopped and looked at my answered prayer clipboard. Flipping through page after page of answered prayers, I began to feel overwhelmed with God’s goodness.
Tears began to roll down my face, as I gave Him praise and thanksgiving for answering each of those prayers. I knew how fervently my husband and I prayed, standing in the gap for those requests. And at that moment, I was so grateful that we kept track of those answered prayers.
It amazes me when people ask us to pray for them and God answers their prayers; while we are rejoicing with them in the same breath they’re giving us another prayer request. Really?
I know it’s just a prayer request but think of it this way, as a parent when your children ask for something, and you give it to them. Then instead of saying thank you and being content with what you just gave them, they immediately ask you for something else. How would that make you feel?
Well, when our Heavenly Father answers our prayers, He is waiting for us to take a moment to stop and thank Him for what He has done.
“Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.”
~ Psalms 103:2 NLT
Often times when we are facing uncertain circumstances, we worry if God will come through, forgetting about all the previous times He has.
This blog was birthed from the idea we had to turn our journals into a blog. Our journals are what we used to document the most trying times during our life. While there are pages after pages outlining in detail our experience of facing trial after trial; there are even more pages that documented victory after victory. In essence, prayers answered over and over and over again!
To this day, there are times we sit on the couch and read pages of our journal reminding us what God has done. It strengthens us, and encourages our faith to know that our God answers prayers.
Documenting your answered prayers can be kept in a prayer journal, a notebook, or even something as simple as a clip board with lined paper, like we do in our way room.
(I hang this in my war room and use lined paper that matches the colors of my floor rug.)
DaySpring also carries an Illustrated Faith – Praise Book if you prefer to keep your answered prayers in a journal.
It doesn’t matter how you do it; it’s just important that you do. So that the next time you find yourself wondering if God answers your prayers, you can remind yourself by looking at what you’ve recorded; that if He did it for you then, HE will do it for you now!
So tell me, how will you keep track of your answered prayers?
PS…Did you know you can SHOP NOW for prayer resources at DaySpring.com?
We’re sharing this post at Salt and Light Link Up!
~ Timberley Gray
Carolyn Holmes says
March 17 at 3:30 amI really enjoy reading your blog and it’s very encouraging to me .. but I have a a question
How do I c Mutinies to keep the faith and keep praying when it seems as tho I’ve received no answers .. financially my back is literally against the wall and I say I’m not gonna stress but I feel like the sharks are all around me and a few more snaps they are gonna get me .. how do I stay faithful
Timberley says
March 17 at 4:05 amCarolyn oh how I can relate to you! Psalm 34:19 AMPC says: Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
We may feel like our prayers aren’t being answered but the truth is God is at work, even when we don’t understand. This scripture hangs in our war room to remind us that the Lord is delivering us even when we can’t see it. We too have felt like we were drowning financially, physically and emotionally. We felt like no matter what we did, how much we prayed, how much we cried nothing was happening. But this scripture spoke to our hearts because we realized although we were enduring tough times, God kept us, we are still here. We don’t know your story but we do know that God is not a respecter of persons so if he kept us He will keep you too. Our encouragement to you is to keep the faith, don’t grow weary and hold on to Hope because at the end of the day God is all we have. He tells us to pray give us this day our daily bread, because He wants us to rely on Him daily for our ends. So stay the course, and continue to seek Him. ~ Blessings
Carolyn Holmes says
March 17 at 3:26 pmThank you for your encouraging words ..
I’m gonna hold to his word and stand firm that he will see me thru ..
Blessings
Timberley says
March 18 at 12:15 amYou’re welcome! Stay encouraged no matter what.
Leigh Curvin says
March 23 at 7:28 amNice read. Thank you for highlighting the importance of reflecting on answered prayers. Not only will it make for a more grateful heart it also helps build faith when we are believing God for something. We can reflect and say if he did it before he will certainly do it again!!!
Timberley says
March 23 at 2:51 pmAmen Leigh! I look at it as a memorial. The Bible is filled with memorials of what God has done. But sometimes people have a hard time relating to the stories in the Bible, but when they look back at what God has done for them it helps put things in perspective. ~ Blessings
Brittany says
June 1 at 3:15 pmI keep saying I’m going to do this and I never do. I’ve also felt convicted to really write every day. I think that one will lead to the other. I am definitely going to make a better effort to get this done!! God deserves every bit of credit and gratefulness that I can offer.
Timberley says
June 1 at 8:18 pmBrittany you are so right, God deserves to hear our grateful hearts. Everything is beautiful in His timing so when you area able to get around to it, it will be right on time. ~ Blessings.
Desiree Montalvo-Holt says
June 1 at 3:49 pmGreat blog post. So many times we are just asking and askinga nd askign and we forget that He is working on our behalf and answering many things in the midst of our storms and struggles. Thank you for the reminder to be grateful for what He does for us daily. Blessings!
Timberley says
June 1 at 8:19 pmThank you Desiree! I love that God works on our behalf even when we forget to acknowledge what He has already done. And that alone makes Him worthy of our praises. ~ Blessings
Julie | Unmasking the Mess says
June 15 at 8:07 pmWhat a great idea and testimony to God’s actions in the past! I really need to do this!
Visiting from #Salt&Light
Timberley says
June 16 at 8:45 pmThank you Julie! I’m sure you will enjoy meditating on what God has done for you. I love reflecting on what God has done so I am not discouraged in the present moment. ~ Blessings