| Have you ever prayed to the Lord about a problem | | | | answer, come on back and we'll work it out together." |
| and felt your message didn't make it past His | | | | As a loving parent, you are allowing your child the |
| answering machine; that it remains there, unheard, until | | | | opportunity to apply the lessons and concepts you |
| He picks up His messages at some future time? | | | | have been teaching him for the past ten years. Your |
| There are times when prayers cannot penetrate | | | | children will not grow in wisdom if they never learn to |
| God-erected barriers; the reasons are found in | | | | work through problems for themselves. The loving |
| Scripture. One such instance is found In 1 Peter 3:7, we | | | | parent asks their son to stretch and strengthen his |
| read that husbands who do not deal well with their | | | | own ability to resolve issues. The parent who only |
| wives will have their prayers hindered. At other times, | | | | wants the problem (and their child) to go away gives |
| God hears you perfectly clearly, considers your plea, | | | | the easy answer. |
| and does nothing. Why? Doesn't He love you? | | | | Horse-trainers allow horses to 'soak' in new concepts, |
| If you are a parent, teacher or horse-trainer, you | | | | giving them the time to process and create new |
| should easily understand why God might choose not to | | | | memory pathways. Only then can new lessons be built |
| answer. Suppose your 10-year old son came to you | | | | upon the foundation of those already mastered. The |
| and asked what he should do about a problem with a | | | | only way to determine if a lesson has been mastered |
| classmate at school. The remedy he seeks is clear to | | | | is to test the student. Some lessons are just lessons; |
| you, but you decide not to share it with him. Why? | | | | some challenges are only meant to reveal our level of |
| What might a loving parent say to their son? | | | | ability. At other times, trials serve as lessons in faith. |
| "You know, son, this is a problem you will encounter | | | | When your prayers go unanswered, perhaps God is |
| again and again, in one form or another for the rest of | | | | asking you to apply all that He has taught you to the |
| your life. Disagreements and misunderstandings can | | | | problem. Giving an easy answer isn't always the loving |
| happen when different people come together. I believe | | | | response. He does love you. Try. Grow. Stretch. If you |
| you will find the right solution if you think through this | | | | reach the end of your try, He will still be there to call on |
| situation carefully. Work through it until you are | | | | again. |
| peaceful with your decision. If you try, but can't find the | | | | |