I don't pretend to understand how prayer - us talking to God - works. I'm not even sure that 'works' is the right word to describe what happens [which I explored in this post - http://thegoldenandthegrey.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/does-prayer-work.html]
But one of the biggest things that has stuck with me in terms of God 'answering' prayers was something one of my friends at Uni said several years ago.
Sometimes we are the answer to our own prayers.
Sometimes we actually possess the power or the potential to answer our own prayers. To change situations, to restore relationships, to mend burnt bridges, to bring peace into problems, to forgive and restore, to love people.
Sometimes the answer to our prayers is within our grasp. James writes,
"Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, 'Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well'—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?"
[James 2:15-16 NLT]
And the end of the same passage in The Message translation reads,
"Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?"
Our faith should motivate us to act. Especially when it comes to meeting the needs of others.
If I know a friend who is in financial trouble and praying for more money, couldn't I give some of my own? Or if I know someone who is struggling to cope after the birth of their child, couldn't I offer to babysit, or help with the shopping or cleaning? Or if someone is lonely and feeling depressed, couldn't I go and sit with them and chat and have a cup of coffee?
Obviously it's good for us to pray for people and to offer their situations up to God. And sometimes there won't be anything that we can do to help them.
But sometimes God's answers look like us.
As 'God' says in the film 'Bruce Almighty'
Sometimes we are the miracle. Sometimes we are the answer."People want me to do everything for them. What they don't realise is they have the power. You want to see a miracle, son? Be the miracle."
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