*This devotion is from Calvary Chapel Melbourne
This weekend, we learned about the importance of prayer and having faith that our prayers will be answered. But one thing I can attest to from experience is God’s statement about Himself in Isaiah 55:8-9: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” I’ve had God answer prayers in breathtakingly unexpected ways, which, in retrospect, always turned out to be the right thing, even though it didn’t seem like it to me in the moment.
About thirteen years ago, shortly after I became a Christian, I was a victim of the dotcom implosion and needed to find a job. I was looking for a vice presidency at the time and had three positions for which I had interviewed. I anticipated offers for all three. I also had an offer on a job as a middle manager at another large corporation, but wasn’t interested in that one; it would’ve been a big step down for me, career-wise, and I refused it. I wasn’t sure which of the other jobs to take, so I prayed and asked God. At the time, I was kind of new at this praying thing. So when I didn’t get an immediate answer, I kept praying about it until the last second, when a decision had to be made, and I asked Him to show me clearly what to do. Oh, He certainly did that.
“Oddly”, the three companies with the VP positions all called me the next day and told me that those jobs had been put on hold for an indefinite period. The same day, the company with the manager’s opening called me back and sweetened the deal, even though I had rejected it before in no uncertain terms. Hmm, “strange” isn’t it, all those calls at once? I got my answer from God on that day, and quite clearly. I had to swallow a huge lump of pride in my throat to take the manager’s job, but I did it. I’m still at that company, thirteen years later. And I’m still a manager.
As it turned out, I became physically disabled shortly after that day and needed to work from home, which I can do in this position. I know now that I would not have been able to handle either the physical or emotional stress of an executive position, so all’s well that ends well, wouldn’t you say? These days, my company keeps telling me that I could get promoted into a much higher position if I only tried, but I tell them that if God wanted me to have such a job, He would issue it to me. They tell me I could make a lot more money, but I laugh and tell them I’m not interested in money. As you might imagine, that statement typically concludes the conversation. I’m perfectly happy and satisfied – and blessed – where I am. And interestingly, I’m considered such a key contributor that I am free to speak out about God whenever I like, with no trouble or career detriment of any kind.
I have many, many more examples of answered prayer. More than you could shake a stick at, as my mother would say. This is not surprising when you consider that God lives outside of time, and can therefore see the entire timeline of human history all at once. And from the very beginning, He made known to us what the end would be (Isaiah 46:9-10). But sometimes we forget how very powerful God is, don’t we? How blessed we are in that He never forgets us!
Make it stick: What are the consequences of believing in God, but not believing God?
Additional reading: Romans 1:20; Job 38:12