Thank You In Advance

There’s nothing like the joy of seeing God answer prayers. I can recall specific times in my life where I’ve experienced his hand reaching into time and space to orchestrate and provide in response to the needs I’ve brought to him. Other times, he’s surprised me with tremendous gifts beyond what I could ever think to ask. Witnessing him work naturally produces a heart of gratitude.

There’s also nothing like the pain of praying and praying and praying but not seeing God move at all. I can also recall specific times in my life where I’ve been met with a silence so loud it seemed deafening. On those days, it was easy to feel unseen and unheard with a heart inclined farther towards frustration than gratitude.

Maintaining faith and persisting in prayer can be difficult when God doesn’t appear to be working or when I may never know the impact my prayers have on the lives of others. In all honesty, not seeing evidence of God answering can create doubt that prayer matters.

But I know better. I believe prayer DOES matter and I must remain faithful in this discipline despite how I feel. I’ve lived enough life and read enough Bible stories to know that even though I may not see God working, he is ALWAYS working.

One of my favorite reminders of this truth is the story of Joseph in Genesis. On the surface, it might look like God was absent when Joseph needed him most. He was rejected by his brothers, heartlessly sold into slavery in Egypt, sentenced to prison as an innocent man, and forgotten for two years by someone who had potential to free him. (Genesis 37, 39, 40)

But God never forgot Joseph. All throughout his life, God was orchestrating each event to work out a greater purpose than Joseph could have imagined. God was positioning Joseph for a rise to power in Egypt that would save the lives of many, including the brothers that rejected him, during years of famine. (Genesis 45:4-8)

He couldn’t see it in the moment but as Joseph looked back in time, he was able to see the threads of God’s goodness woven all throughout the events of his life. God was there all along, even when he seemed silent and even when evil appeared to be winning. Joseph testified to this in Genesis 50:20 when he told his brother, “as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

This reality is starting to change how I respond when I can’t see God working. I can have confidence that God is continually active and I’m learning to lean towards gratitude rather than frustration by thanking God for the things he’s doing today that I won’t see the effects of until later.

Here’s an example of what that looks like:

God, thank you for what you’re doing today that I can’t see. I know you are working in ways that I don’t fully understand. I believe there are things happening today that I won’t be able to specifically name and appreciate until days, months, or years later and I accept that some things may never be revealed this side of heaven. Thank you in advance for the good you’re orchestrating and for that future moment when I look back and see your hand was working all along. Give me faith to persist in prayer, believing you hear me and are always up to something, even when you seem silent.

As we enter this season of gratitude, join me in thanking God for the unseen things he’s coordinating in addition to the activity he is gracious to unveil today.