when we answer our own prayers

Today in A Year with the Church Fathers, we hear from St Gregory the Great, who is telling his friend about how we should praise God in both blessings and when we are suffering. He says that God will sometimes allow suffering in our lives to purify us from some sins that we might have fallen into. And that in all things, good or bad, we should glorify Him for working it all for our good.

And then, he closes the letter with a mention that he's also sending funds to help alleviate his friend's suffering.

Sometimes God does that, doesn't He? He gives us the privilege of working THROUGH us to answer our prayers for our friends. There are times when we know our friend is hurting, and when we pray for them, He sends us to answer those prayers and help them.

There are, of course, times when He chooses NOT to use us to answer our prayers. And this is valuable for us, because if He sent us to answer all of our prayers, we might be tempted to pride, and to think that we have to personally resolve every problem, rather than leaving it to God to graciously supply all needs.

So should we desire to be the answer to our own prayers? I think the best answer is to become dispassionate. To be open to His calling us to help them, but also to be willing to let Him answer the prayer in a different way. Sometimes our friends might be embarrassed or hurt by our constantly being the ones to help them out.

In any case, we should pray for those needs that we know of, and trust Him to direct us to the ones He chooses to answer through us. Then we give Him the glory whether we're used or not.

Just remember, the best thing you can do in any situation is to pray. Whether He chooses to use us in the answer is up to Him.

God, thanks for sometimes using us to answer our prayers.... and sometimes not.