I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. 2 Kings 20:5 NIV
Have you ever gone through a crisis and wondered if prayer really works? I have. There is much to think about sometimes. Like, if this is really God’s will, then why do I even need to pray? Either God is going to heal this person or not. My prayer is not going to change that. I’ve been a Christian for many years, but these are some of the thoughts I had when I was told my husband might have a tumor in his head.
You don’t really know what you believe until you are faced with putting it to the test. I honestly wasn’t sure if my prayer could change things. When faced with that thought, I even wondered why I bothered praying at all. I know some of you have been there, too.
I emailed my pastor and asked him. Does prayer really change things? He told me yes and gave me an example of how God tells us to pray. I don’t remember much about the example; I just remembered the yes. Yes. I hung on to that. I took that “Yes” on faith and prayed with all my might that whatever was in my husband’s head was okay.
As it turns out, it was okay. What the doctors once thought was a tumor was only a large mass they easily removed in outpatient surgery. I’m not sure if large mass is what it started out to be, but after many prayers large mass was the outcome.
In my quiet time yesterday, I found a story hidden in the pages of 2 Kings. Hezekiah, the king of Judah from 715 – 697 B.C., was described as having a close relationship with God. He became very ill, and the Bible tells us he was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah came to him with a message from God. God told him to get the affairs of his house in order because he was going to die. “You will not recover.”
I don’t think there was any misinterpreting that message. You will not recover is pretty clear.
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (2 Kings 20:2-3 NIV)
Before the prophet Isaiah could even get out of the palace, God gave him another message. The message Hezekiah was longing to hear. “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.“(v. 5)
God healed Hezekiah that day, and he lived another fifteen years. All because of prayer. Prayer! Prayer changes things. If ever I doubted it, my sweet friends, I KNOW it to be true now. Prayer changes things.
What burden are you carrying? What is it that has caused you to fall on your face and cry out to God? You’ve been wondering if He even hears you. You’re wondering if your prayers even matter. I know. I’ve been there.
Yesterday after reading this story, I prayed. Friends, as I prayed I knew he was listening and as I prayed for some of my friends and family, I got chills. I called out their names one by one, and tears fell as I felt the power of connecting with our Heavenly Father. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes things. Thank you Lord! Prayer changes things!
Carol~
What a timely post for me. For the past two years our family has found ourselves…on our knees…and at times prostrate on our face seeking God for his wisdom, and his direction.
For me personally…through our trials, and dark days, I’m finding that more times than not, God is changing my heart…rather than my situation. Funny how that often happens!!!
I’m so glad that God is revealing to my heart that he is more interested in my journey….than he is in my destination!
Regardless of the outcome…..my Jesus remains, and for that….my heart rejoices.
Blessings to you!
Kim~
I think prayer also prepares us for what’s to come. By praying we are opening ourselves up to God, allowing Him into those secret places of our hearts to work His will within us. When He gives the answers to our prayers, be it a yes, no, maybe, not now, etc… we are satisified with that because we are resting in His peace and completely trusting Him with all things.
Blessings friend,
Jenifer
Girl, I so needed to read this!
Thank you for sharing so sweetly and deeply from your heart! We all need to hear these testimonies of His faithfulness! It increases our faith!
You are a blessing and such an encourager!
This story about Hezekiah is one of my favorites! Not only does it deal with prayer… it talks about the sign that Hezekiah receives about being healed. I love it.
This was a great post!
Prayer does work ’cause he wants ‘relationship’…more concerned with intimacy and transformation than the actual answer we originally asked for…that was what I found recently when I had no Plan B..just Him as only resort….
what a sweet surrender..
so glad I asked you to intercede for me..
Love, Sita
Tears in my eyes and love for the Lord in my heart. Yes! prayer changes things.
Thank you for reminding me that he hears us when we call!
Carol,
Prayer DOES change things, I had a small example about that regarding an airplane ticket that I was being charged too much for. DH and I prayed like crazy while I was on the phone talking to the airline, just a mere two hours before my flight. We did not have the money to pay the incorrect amount and dispute it later, long story short, everything came up on the terminal screen with sero balance!! That could not have happened without God’s intervention. Prayer works, and I’m a firm believer in that!
Great post! I just started a class at my church about prayer, conversations with God. Some of the questions you posed contributed to my interest in the class. I cannot wait to learn more.
I also want to share a testimony. Many people have been praying with me for God to provide a way financially for me to attend the She Speaks conference. I just learned today that although I could not see a way, God made a way for the registration fee to be covered in full. Praise God! I am so excited. I cannot wait to see how God uses me through this blessing.
Thank you, thank you…
I am another that also needed to hear that!
Alicia
Beautiful post, Carol!!! Yes! Praise God He hears me when I call upon His holy name.
Thanks Carol…for encouraging me in my prayer life!
Thank You Lord, for MIRACLES still as a result of prayer! Thank You for changing the “bad” into nothing more than a outpatient removable mass! and YOUR Healing touch! Thank You that prayer still changes! Thank You for making believers out of us with little faith or perhaps questioning faith!
We don’t doubt You or what You may do or what You allow but in crisis, it’s so easy to loose sight. Forgive me, Lord, for any time, after years of knowing you I have not stood on what You’ve said!
Thank you Carol for opening my eyes
and thoughts to the MIRACLE of answered prayer in the past,(Bible days), the present (today) and the future (as His Kingdom comes)! Peg
You know what song just went through my mind as I read this? “When I call on Jesus…all things are possible…”
Thanks so much for reminding me that YES, my prayer does matter! God is moved by the prayers of His children. 🙂
carol! i just got my P31 and your “Jesus at McDonald’s” was on page 4!!
Congratulations, friend!!!!
YEAH!!!
love,
jess
Last Monday evening, I was on my face crying out to God to hear me and answer my plea over my daughter. I asked God to help me understand if he didn’t help Andrea to see the truth that was right in front of her face. I wanted God to show her and end this crap that my family has gone through these past 6 months. I prayed for HIS WILL in this. And if HIS WILL was not to take the blinders off her then for Joey and I to have strength and wisdom to help restore our family. I honestly don’t remember a time when I prayed for 2 hours solid on my face…I know that God heard me and I know that God will turn things around for my family. The next day…..I don’t know how…but, I finally think I didn’t pick up the problem when I gave it to God. So many times I tried to tell God and give this to HIM…but as I would get up from praying….I would pick up the problem I just turned over to HIM. I wanted God to fix things my way not HIS. On that night…when I got up, I left it with HIM. The peace that I have had this week is great! I can’t really explain it. The problem with my daughter is still there, but Joey and I know that somehow, someway God will work this out in HIS time not ours. I keep thinking about faith. While I don’t have the answers and I know I am not perfect and make mistakes in this situation too many times. I know that God loves Andrea; that HE loved her first. HE will take care of her and HE will open her eyes and take the blinders off when HE is ready. I can’t give up…….I know that HE will restore her to HIM and then our family will start to heal. We must keep the FAITH!! I know the God that performed the miracles in the Bible, still performs miracles today. I know that HE hears my prayers and I know that Prayer changes things. I know this because HE is still changing and forming me into the person HE wants me to be. Like that song “He’s still working on me”
a part in the chorus is “how loving and patient he must be, He’s still working on me”.
I thank God that HE has not given up on me and is still working on me. Sorry this is so long. I thank you for the post and thank-you for letting God use you to help others through your words and encouragement.
Bless you my friend!
Powerful, Carol! Thanks for sharing your heart and passion for the Lord.
_Janet
Amen! This is a great post.
Not only does prayer change/heal, I believe that it also helps to develop a stronger sense of faith as well as a better relationship with Christ.
I LOVE this post! Thank you, so much, for sharing it. >:0)
Thanks for your inspiration Carol! This article really hit the spot!!!
Russell and Marianne Smith