How God answers prayers in surprising ways

Some days God answers prayers in ways I would never choose.  

Driving to the homeless shelter recently, I prayed an unusual but heartfelt prayer: “Lord, please let there be no police officers or emergency vehicles today.” With the executive director away, I was the default person in charge, and I was hoping for a quiet, uneventful day.

God did not answer that prayer.

Shortly after morning devotion, a fire engine pulled into the parking lot. Someone in the men’s transitional home had left a pot on the stove too long, triggering the smoke alarm. The resident responsible met the firefighters in pajamas and slippers, looking more embarrassed than endangered. Thankfully, there was no fire. But in the process, we discovered that several residents needed to learn how to reset the alarm system. What looked like an interruption became a needed lesson.

Later that morning, another commotion erupted. A guest shouted, “He stole my bike!” while pointing to a man sitting on the grass beside a bike. Accusations flew, and the one man called the police. From my office window, I watched the tension rise – then dissolve. By the time the officer arrived, the two men were crouched over the bike together, laughing. The second man hadn’t stolen it; he had unknowingly bought it for twenty dollars from the real thief. The misunderstanding was resolved, and by lunchtime the two were sharing a meal.

God had not answered my prayer literally. Firefighters came. A police officer came. Yet perhaps God saw needs I did not. Residents learned something practical. Two men moved from suspicion to friendship.

Part of my prayer was answered.  Overall attendance was light, so the daily demands were less than usual. Just three people came to the morning devotion. Instead of leading a program, I circled up the chairs and asked, “What shall we pray for?” Jacob prayed for freedom from distractions as he continued his remarkable journey from homelessness toward independence.  (See A new perspective on the Advocate)  Another woman prayed for her boyfriend, hospitalized after breaking both legs.  She had no idea what her future held. The third was sleeping in her car.  Because she lacked insurance, she said the police impounded her car.  She had no place to go.  

So we prayed.

I do not know how God will answer those petitions. But I am reminded again that prayer is not about persuading God to carry out my plans. Prayer is placing people, situations, and even my own anxieties into hands far wiser than mine.

That day, Teresa of Avila spoke to me once again:  “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you… God alone suffices.”  (Saint Teresa of Avila, The Bookmark)