Where is the praise in the prayer?

This was the job I prayed for, right? Dear God, I need a job, any job please.  I did I got a job as a teacher, I was so pleased I had actually got two and half job offers.  I felt really good.  The job started!

It seemed as if I was making one mistake after another, and on and on . . . Each day I would pray for a better day and each day after it was all done I would ask why?  Where were you God?

Home, where my relationships aren’t good.  I am about as popular at home as I am at school.  Finally, the midyear evaluation and mine was awful.  I didn’t think it could get any worse than it was last year but it did.

I listened to Joyce Meyer as she spoke about 1 Chronicles 20.  I read this chapter and thinking it couldn’t hurt.  The writer referenced all the miracles that God had completed and accomplished for him already.  He was confident God would do more.

Sad to say my roots in praising God are not that strong.  My roots are pretty weak and worse I couldn’t remember, really remember the last miracle God had done for me.  Or when he had helped me last. 

Today was the worst, I was asked if I had made any progress since my mid year.  The papers I had completed were judged not worthy.  Some of my students called me so many hurtful names.  It was awful.  Worse, no one talks to me as a professional.  God where are you? An email telling me that my next observation was coming next week  Of course I wanted to do it day before a vacation.

I can’t stay here God. Why did you put me here?  I don’t have very strong roots God.

I heard a small whisper of sound, I am here. I was there when I brought you through the cancer.  The cancer you were supposed to die from, remember? I kept your marriage alive?  The children you prayed for out of trouble and through their problems. Remember, the car accident, the one you couldn’t explain when it seemed as if the car went right through your car, but no one was hurt and care wasn’t damaged.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)

My key from this verse was the “ together with all of God’s people.”  God considers all of us his people regardless of how we feel about others.  He made all of us and we are all of his children.

Yes, some of the children called you bad names, but what about the two followed you around and listened to what you said and how you taught.

I am teaching you not that you can’t learn and go through the trouble, but you don’t have to share everything about you and what you have learned. If I wanted them to know I would tell you and them.

Please God I just want to finish well.

I will strengthen your inner being, I made you and everyone you came in contact with today.

The Lord’s Holy people; well; God knows who they are; but remember all of these people are my children. I will take care of them and protect them in the same way that I protect them.  Remember it is through faith I am helping you. You have become to harden and prideful.

Ponder 

Remember, Paul was writing this in a prison cell that is the size of the closet I want you to pray and fellowship with me in the morning. Let me dwell in you, you are not alone. 

Oh, you may not know why this is happening now, but someday you will have the knowledge to understand the why.