Blog | Grace on Parade

March 8, 2021 by Karen Wingate 2 Comments

Prayer Works: Why Does God Answer The Way He Does?

I did it again. I almost got God in trouble. This time it was over the way prayer works.

My husband and I recently chose to retire in the sunny Southwest, 1500 miles from our former home. Since we lived so far away, we purchased our new home, a mobile home fixer upper in a seniors’ community, sight unseen.. We did all the right things: had family check it out, paid to have it inspected, and did a virtual tour with the sales rep. Nevertheless, a few problems remained and, despite our efforts, were slow to get fixed.

Several issues hinged on one critical repair that we couldn’t seem to get resolved; the outside water shut-off was stuck. Without that, we couldn’t replace the hot water heater, fix a shower head, or attend to the broken water line in our refrigerator. If you can’t turn off the water to the house, you can’t fix the water problems on the inside.

Water Woes

Maybe we could fix house issues better once we moved, we thought. But, once we were in our new home, we still hit road blocks. Finally, Alan the park manager, arrived on our property two days after we’d arrived and spelled out the reasons for the hold-up.

The old pipes leading to the shut off valve were old and corroded, he explained. Furthermore, three other homes in the park had similar issues and there was a water main break on the street west of us. Worst case scenario: water to all 645 units in the park might have to be shut off while pipes and valves were fixed or replaced. Everyone could be without water for a minimum of 3 hours, possibly several days.

We had contracted with a plumber to replace the hot water heater two days later, so we felt the pressure of time. Besides, water, especially hot water, is a necessity, right? Let’s get this fixed, okay?

Alan said he would try a simple solution first. He would spray some kind of compound into the water line to hopefully loosen it up as a first step. He was not optimistic.

Prayer Works!

Sometimes my confidence in God’s power to do anything spills out of my mouth before my brain can kick in to stop my words. “Would you mind if I pray that it will work?” I blurted.

Alan paused. “Sure. You can do that. I’ll take whatever.”

I nodded with enthusiasm. “You got it.”

My husband stood behind me. “I will too.” At least I had his support.

Alan shrugged. “That might be helpful. I’d appreciate it.”

I’d already taken the plunge. Let’s dig it deeper. I grinned. “We have a powerful God.” After all, prayer works. Right?

But, this time, what if it doesn’t?

What had I just said?

As Alan disappeared around the corner of the house, I panicked. Did the poor man think I had to call on the Almighty because I doubted his ability to solve the issue?

Worse yet, what if the compound didn’t work? I had no clue about Alan’s level of faith or how his outlook on praying about silly things like stuck water valves. I had put God’s reputation for answered prayers on the line and I’d better figure out a slick answer to cover for any silence from above.

“Oh Lord,” I prayed. “Either You need to make that stuff work or you’ll have to give me the words to explain why You don’t always answer prayers the way we’d like them answered. Sure, it would be convenient for us to get that water line fixed. I’m tired of waiting and wading through house problems. I want to nest in my new home. But that’s not really what’s bothering me. I don’t want this guy to lose confidence in You.”

My concern was legitimate.

Many people come to that crossroads of faith, wondering why God didn’t answer their prayers. It’s a higher level of faith to understand that God answers in his time and in his way. It takes faith to trust that when something doesn’t go the way I want it to, God still cares about my well-being and has an overall plan to take care of me.

Could I put that heavy duty theology in terms Alan would understand or that he would have time or inclination to consider?

For an hour, I fretted.

I really need to work harder at finding out where people are in their faith before I go putting God’s reputation on the line.

Finally, I relinquished. “Lord, you know Alan’s heart better than I do. You do what’s best. And yes, can I ask you to fix that water line? I know you can.”

An hour later, Alan rang our doorbell. He said nothing. His thumbs up hand gesture was enough. I returned the signal and closed my door, happy that God answered my crazy presumptuous prayer and relieved that I didn’t have to explain God’s choices.

Why did God choose to answer prayer about a stuck water valve?

God cares about water lines, lost keys, and other creature comforts. But He cares most about strengthening our trust in His ability to provide.

Check out the various stories of how the recipients of Jesus’ healing touch responded to the miracle. Some praised God. Others walked away. Many times, Scripture doesn’t mention any kind of reaction. Then there were times that a miracle happened but the vast majority of people in the crowd had no idea that Jesus had been the instigator.

John’s gospel tells the story about Jesus’ first recorded miracle. He was at a local wedding feast and poor management caused a shortage of celebratory wine. Jesus’ ever proud mother told Jesus about the shortage, assuming with all confidence that he could fix the problem. He did but only his mother, disciples, and the servants who filled the water jugs knew that Jesus had turned water into wine. The clueless steward of the wedding feast declared the wine the best of the feast.

The story ends with the note that Jesus’ disciples “believed in Him.” The miracle wasn’t necessarily for the bridal couple and their guests. Instead, it was for those watching on the sidelines who needed a faith strengthening example of Jesus’ divine power. While it was convenient to have the wine, Jesus’ action gave strong evidence to His identity as the Messian, the divine Son of God.

Answered prayer proves God’s existence, power, and love for us.

God is not a magic genie or indulgent grandfather who gives us whatever we selfishly want. He is not a vending machine where we insert our money, push a button, and get whatever we ask for at the touch of a button. God intends his answers to build our faith so we will be more inclined to turn in obedience to Him and trust Him the next time He does need to delay response.

And it is not all about us. God’s answer are as much for others as they are for us. Those who watch our struggles will grow in their faith when they observe God answer our prayers or when they witness our trust and confidence as we wait for God’s best timing.

Why pray about the small stuff?

I think it is just wonderful the way God can use the seemingly small and insignificant events of our lives, good, bad, or inconvenient, to shout His power and love and display His glory. He can and does use the everyday ordinary like not enough wine, stuck water valves or all kinds of small stuff as stepping stones for both us and those who watch us.

So the next time you hesitate over praying about something seemingly small, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What could an answered prayer for lost keys get you besides finding lost keys?

Strengthening of your own faith and trust in God’s care for you.
A story to tell.
Renewed gratitude for what you have.
Evidence of God’s interest, power, and love to those watching you: whether a child, an unbeliever, or another Christ follower who needs a reminder of God’s love that day.
A launching pad to pray more deeply for those watching you.

This story is not over and I shouldn’t be done either. Now that I’ve had that interaction with Alan and I saw God’s intervention to our water problem, I’m going to now pray that God keep bringing people and situations into Alan’s life that will build his faith in God. Yes, I hope we can have more meaningful conversations with Alan. But I’m also content to let God bring other people of His choosing into Alan’s life that will bring this man to full faith and obedience to the lordship of Christ.

In the meantime, I’ll be extra grateful for my next hot shower.

How has God answered a recent prayer you’ve prayed? Who has watched you? How can you now pray for their faith?

February 12, 2021 by Karen Wingate Leave a Comment

Moving On: How to Walk Away From Unfinished Work

As I’m preparing to leave our home of ten years and move cross country, I’m reminded of what I discovered the last time I moved.

Sometimes, you just have to walk away.

Despite my best efforts to plan, organize, and work hard, some jobs will not get done. I’ll miss that last coffee break with my girlfriend, a bill may not get paid, I may fail to label a box, and I’ll be too exhausted to clean the dust bunnies from the corners of the linen closet.

Unfinished work drives me crazy.

Aren’t we hard wired to complete jobs? Don’t we all have a guilty lining for the incomplete projects lurking in our closets? What about talk of unfinished business with relationships or the need to seek closure with fragmented friendships?

It will never all get done. In the end, we have to walk away, leaving jobs half done.

It’s true in moving. It happens in life, relationships, ministry, and jobs. And it’s true even at, especially at, the end of life. For people like me who are outcome based, that’s hard to accept.

Paul’s Counsel

The apostle Paul wrote something that liberated me from the tyranny of unfinished work:

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6

The word “you” in that verse is plural. Paul is talking about the overall work of the group of people in the Philippi church. He is reminding us of who is in charge. Jesus knows the Big Picture and He will take all the little stuff we do in His name–the fragments of conversations, outreach programs, and living-the-faith-life-out-loud moments–and bring them all together to completion at the end of time.

" . . .he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 NASB2020

It’s God’s job to complete the work of the Kingdom, not mine.

I saw this lived out on a short-term mission trip to Austria where I worked in the kitchen of a bible training center. My role as a kitchen helper was to work with other kitchen helpers to make meals for the students. But I found that I never knew what I would do from hour to hour. I started one morning by peeling potatoes. I asked Sunny, the kitchen director, what to do next with the potatoes. Sunny told me to leave them. Instead, she wanted me to crush Oreo cookies into crumbs. What were we going to do with those crumbs? Not my concern: I was to do cleanup in the dish room next. And then slice pimentos.

Just what kind of dish did she plan for me to make with potatoes, Oreo cookies, and pimentos? No, no, those ingredients were for three separate dishes. Over and over, I did a series of tasks without control or awareness of the final outcome. It wasn’t until the noon or evening meal that I saw the end result of our team’s efforts.

The nature of the kitchen work was to leave a job unfinished and go on to something else. I didn’t need to know the use of those peeled potatoes; my job was to trust Sunny to know the plan and show my trust by following her directions.

The Unfinished Work of Ministry

We each have tasks to accomplish that fit like individual jigsaw puzzle pieces into God’s overall plan, and we trust Him to put it all together. None of us are in charge of the final outcome of any ministry, church, corporation, or even our family.

Furthermore, you and I will never finish everything we put our hands to do. At the end of our lives, we’ll still have incomplete craft projects, a drawer full of unscanned or unframed pictures, unread books, and unfinished business with family and friends.

We won’t have all the wrinkles ironed out of our spiritual maturation. I’ll never perfect patience or get a handle on this unconditional love thing. And we can’t always finish the work of serving others either. There will still be children to teach, lives to influence, and words to say. I won’t get it done. Not every child I teach will come to Christ while I’m there, not every woman fully mature in their faith, and not every service project will be wrapped up. I have to leave what I do and let God choose someone else to take up where I leave off.

Sometimes, that unfinished work will look like a total mess. We’ll feel like we’ve failed. But we haven’t. It’s not a failure; it’s just not done. And it isn’t our responsibility to get it to a point of successful completion.

The good news is this: someday it will be complete. Done. Perfected, just as God wants it to be. That moment will come when God sends Jesus back to earth to bring his beloved children home.

What does God want us to do?

Relocation moves us from unfinished work in our neighborhood or community. Retirement means handing the reins to our replacement. Children fly the nest before we’ve taught them all we should have.

Shouldn’t I have a vision for where I’m going with my work? Yes, God wants us to keep the Big Picture in mind, but we need to allow Him to be in charge of the final results. Our job is to do the tasks He calls us to do. And if He chooses to move us to another task, we follow His lead, leaving the knowledge of the outcome in His capable hands.

How does God want you to balance the Big Picture with the task of the moment?

1. Leave the middle management to Him.

We have an end destination: eternity. We have one marching order: make disciples. Do what we are called to do, trusting God and the leaders He has designated for how everything fits together to reach those goals.

2. Do your best.

Your job is to do the very best with the work God has given you to do. “ . . . always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58 NIV2011).”

3. Let it go.

It’s easy to fret about a project’s success, especially after we’ve finished our part. Can’t we do the next step too? What if the next person doesn’t handle the job so well; is that going to make me look bad? Success and results are God’s responsibility, not ours. Trust is walking away, knowing God will take what you and I have done, and magnify it to bring Him and His Kingdom great glory.

4. Move on.

In the Haus Edelweiss kitchen, my responsibility was to hand off those potatoes to someone else and go crush Oreo cookies. Sunny knew it wasn’t time for the next step with those potatoes and she needed me to start preparations for the supper’s desert that needed to set in the freezer for four hours. She knew the timetable and I didn’t; in fact, I didn’t need to keep that detail in my brain. She knew that at that moment, I was most needed and useful to focus all of my attention on just crushing cookies.

When God calls you away from one task, it isn’t because you are a failure at what you are currently doing. God sees that you are more important elsewhere. Even when God puts you in a holding pattern for a few hours or weeks, He is in the midst of getting everything ready for you. He is also getting you ready to be the best for what He has next for you.

Trust God’s judgment. Let him be in control of the outcome. Determine to do your best and be your best at whatever He calls you to do. Thank him that he knows the end result and that whatever he has planned is good and beautiful.

What is God calling you to leave unfinished?

February 3, 2021 by Karen Wingate 4 Comments

Along Unfamiliar Paths: 3 Promises God has Made to You

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
Isaiah 42:16 NIV

I totally get what Isaiah meant about unfamiliar paths.

In my younger, more foolish days, I loved to tell what I dubbed a “Helen Keller” joke. Here it is:

Q: How did Helen Keller’s parents punish her?

A: By rearranging the furniture.

I thought it was funny. My mother thought it was cruel. Well, yes, but you have to have a vision issue to fully appreciate the humor. I thought it was funny because it is so so true.

Acquaintances often commented that I functioned quite well as a legally blind person. They were shocked when I told them just how bad my vision was. I did do fine—as long as I was in familiar settings. If I got dumped into the unfamiliar or if my environment changed, obscuring what I already struggled to see, I was suddenly plunged into helplessness. That meant I had to ask for help. And people were surprised because they thought I was so self-sufficient.

(Was legally blind? Read my story here of how I gained new eyesight in midlife.)

I coped by memorizing my environment like a map. I depended on certain things always being in the same place. The salt is in the upper cupboard to the right of the stove, bottom shelf, left hand side. My hand reaches for it without my brain or my eyes needing to engage. The worst kindness would be to clean my house and put my clutter away for me. Don’t touch a thing! I need to remember where things are.

[Read more…]

January 22, 2021 by Karen Wingate 2 Comments

Getting Lost: 6 Strategies to Find Your Way to Where You Need to Be

My globe-trotting daughter has learned it is best to not tell her mother details of stressful situations while overseas until after her return. That might mean months or years later. Like car accidents in China. Or getting lost in Austria.

Then she can tell the story and we can share our getting lost stories and we can all laugh and be happy that we are safely together once again. And Mother doesn’t say, “I’m never letting you out of sight again!”

Christine’s story