God Notions

Colossians 3:16

 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

As I have grown in my relationship with Christ I have learned that: knowing, understanding and applying God’s word is crucial to daily living. Sometimes God will send a trusted friend to set you back on the right path.

I was faithfully watching a thirty-minute television show, but began to slightly feel that I should not be watching. I decided to pray about it. This was my prayer: “LORD, I have watched this show and I really enjoy it. I don’t see anything wrong with it, it makes people happy, but I feel in my heart that I shouldn’t be watching. I don’t want to be out of your will, please make it clear to me. LORD, you know I can be hard-headed sometimes. Please make your will clear.”

The very next time the show came on I sat down to watch and my phone rang.

One of my fellow Christian sisters called, “What are you doing?” I’m watching “Show” “Oh, I wouldn’t watch that.” She replied. “Why not?” I asked. “ I just wouldn’t” was her answer, we chatted a moment and hung up. Not ten minutes later the phone rang again. Another beloved Christian sister asked, “What are you doing?” I told her what show I was watching. I cannot tell you what she said. She rambled on for a few minutes telling me her thoughts about the show and we hung up. I am not kidding; the phone rang a third time. “Hello?” “What are you doing?” asked my best Christian sister of many years. “I’m watching “Show” “TURN THAT THING OFF! TURN THAT THING OFF! I am not saying another word until you turn that thing off!” I began to laugh and turned the television off. I told her I was laughing because she was an answer to my prayer. “I don’t see anything wrong with this show, why shouldn’t I watch it?” I asked her. She explained that the show was taking my focus from God. My focus became fixed on someone who was using means of betrayal, whether spiritual or of man, to deceive and cause others to look to someone or something, that only God, in truth, could do.

I thanked God for answering my prayer; I never watched that show again.

I learned that day that God answers prayer quickly when I seek to be within His will. I learned that when getting advice, not every answer is the best answer. I need to be in God’s Word seeking to understand for myself, and to be ready if ever someone asks me, ”Why not?” Above all I learned that God really does hear prayer, how He answers is as unique as He is.

Thank you LORD, for the privilege of prayer.

Thank you for your patience and guidance when I am hardheaded or ignorant of your will.