Prayerful insights

I've been studying a book:  Prayer by Philip Yancey.
This is probably the 4th or 5th time that I have gone through this book.
It never gets old.
These human reminders of why?  how?
So many great stories, examples, little tidbits, and quotes.
I love it and recommend it!

Right now I'm in the chapter about unanswered prayer.
It's probably the most difficult topic surrounding prayer.
A few of the notes I jotted down:

*pray for companionship, not petition.  God knows.
*God's ways are not our ways.
*prayer changes us, not God.

So, my thoughts are that we just have to trust..........but it was still confusing, even unsettling at times.
Then last night I received a text asking me to pray for a young mother who has received a cancer diagnosis.  And at that moment a thought entered my mind....

            When we pray for healing, our prayer is ALWAYS answered!

God spoke this to me!  I heard this thought and began to explore it using everything I know to be true about God and His promises. 

This world is not our home.  This life is the journey, not the destination.  These are two truths that I cling to!

So if we suffer a serious illness or accident, and prayers for healing are sent up and our earthly bodies die anyway;  OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!  We are home!  Completely healed!

And if we recover and our earthly bodies live on, Our prayers have also been answered!  We continue our journey!

It's hard to see and understand things from God's perspective.  We aren't meant to.  We need to trust in His perfect plans. 

But there is a peace in KNOWING  that God does answer prayers.