A Heart Procedure and an Unlikely Answer to Prayer
How to Stay Navigating Unanswered Prayer
This morning, joy found me while I was walking slowly with my three-year-old, still healing from a heart procedure.
This has been a tender season.
A heart procedure.
Unexpected hardships.
New rhythms.
A body that has to slow down.
And the quiet ache of still longing for a close community that we are more regular with.
Like in many seasons, I have prayed for that kind of community.
Community that encourages you, lifts you up, speaks life to you, goes after Jesus with you, and points you back to Jesus.
It is not too abstract of an ask, I think.
But this morning I was reminded of 2 Samuel 7:4, “But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan…”
That line resonated deeply with me.
David had good intentions.
He wanted to go all in and say, “Why am I living in a house of cedar while the ark of God stays in a tent?”
In other words, “Why does my house look settled while the place connected to God’s presence looks temporary?”
So David wanted to build God a house.
Nathan initially affirmed him.
But that night, the word of the Lord came.
God redirected the plan.
Not because David’s desire was evil.
Because God’s purpose was bigger.
God reminds David that He had never needed David to build Him a house. The Lord had been with David wherever he went. He had taken David from the pasture, from following sheep, and made him prince over His people Israel.
David wanted to build something for God.
God promised to build something through David.
Not just a building.
A house.
A dynasty.
A kingdom.
A line that would one day lead to Jesus.
And not only that, God continued His covenant love, His steadfast love, and made David a promise.
Now, a quick thought on promises.
Because after reading this moment, I started to think:
Why would God make any more promises?
Especially to people who continue to fail Him.
Have you been there?
Can you trust the person who makes promises but constantly fails you?
I struggle to.
But God, who never fails, makes a promise to someone who does fail.
A lot.
I cannot wrap my feeble mind around that kind of love.
One thing I do know is this:
It is not good to make promises you cannot keep.
And it is always good to include God in the promises we make.
Lord willing.
By His strength.
If He allows.
Because there is only One Person who can make a promise that never fails.
Why?
Because there is only One Person who can hold the promise in its entirety.
His nature is perfect.
His word does not collapse under pressure.
His plans do not fail when people do…I’ll stop.
Now, back to community and plans.
In 2 Samuel 7, God promises David rest from his enemies. He promises to raise up David’s offspring after him. He promises that David’s son will build a house for His name. And He promises that David’s throne will be established forever.
David’s desire was good.
But God’s plan was better.
That reminded me of Proverbs:
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9
And:
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
Proverbs 19:21
For me, in this season, I recently had a heart procedure done.
Every Wednesday, I attend a Bible study with my mentor, Ken Boa Reflections Ministries. Most of the people there are sixty years old or older. It is a room of around 120 people. Vast experience. Deep faith. A rich room to sit in.
A few weeks ago, a good brother in Christ, Dave Barrs, brought me up in front of everyone and told the room about my situation and my heart procedure.
And immediately, Emily and I were covered with substantial resources for groceries that week.
I was surrounded by love and care from people who normally just sit and receive from Ken.
I do not know many of them. Not really. I have made friends with a few, of course. But most of them are still unfamiliar faces to me.
Yet through them, I tasted the generous heart of God.
Then I received a grocery delivery from our friends who are like family from a distance, Dawn and Manley, through Love on a Spoon.
Then came a text.
A call.
A prayer.
A visit from our pastor and dear friend, Thomas, and a visit from my best friend and his family, who brought dinner for all of us (and have seen us more regularly).
And as I was prayer walking this morning with my three-year-old, God reminded me:
You have been waiting patiently for a circle of friends who will love you, point you to Jesus, and encourage you, your wife, and your daughters.
And in the meantime, I have been answering your prayer.
It did not look like what I predicted.
And here is what I learned from this moment:
What you pray for often does not come the way you imagined.
And that is not just a good thing.
It can be the best thing because God is good, and His wisdom is better than ours.
It is like being a child with a parent.
You think, “That is not what I wanted. I wanted to stay out until midnight, not come home at ten.”
Then later, you find out there was alcohol there. Somebody got in trouble. The cops showed up.
What felt like restriction was actually protection.
I could go on and on with examples like that.
But ultimately, God’s wisdom is better than ours. And He is our loving Father.
His best is not always the easiest.
His best is not always what we pictured.
But His best is always wiser, deeper, and more faithful than ours.
So keep planning.
Keep asking.
Keep praying.
But do not be discouraged when the answer does not come the way you expected.
It might already be answered.
You may have missed it because it came wrapped differently than you expected.
Stay fixed on Him daily so you can experience the joy of realizing that God has been answering your prayers after all.
What I Learned About Jesus Today
David wanted to build God a house.
But God promised to build David a house.
A family line.
A kingdom.
A throne that would last forever.
And that promise leads straight to Jesus.
Jesus is the true Son of David, the King whose throne will never end. He is the One who brings God’s presence near. He is the One who makes a way for failed people like David, and failed people like me, to come close to God.
That is the gospel.
We do not come near because we built something impressive for God.
We come near because Jesus gave Himself for us.
So when God answers differently than I expected, I can trust Him.
Not because I understand the whole plan.
But because I know the One who holds it.
See 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Luke 1:32-33, John 1:14, Hebrews 10:19-22, and 2 Corinthians 1:20.
Have Jesus for Breakfast.