Praying for the Right things and for the Right People Sent to Meet those Needs

There is a lot that can be said about prayer and the people God uses to bring about those answers we need. Often times, it is not the people you have in mind that God uses even if they have what you need. When we pray regarding something we need, God checks to see the motives behind those prayers first, and whether it lines up with his will for our life, and then he thinks about the best possible way to bring our answer, which highly depends on what it is you are praying for. There are some prayers that God may choose to answer quickly, for instance if you are praying for confirmation about something, or a prayer for daily bread, or a prayer about favor in a particular area. There are no clear-cut answers why some prayers get answered and why some do not, or why it feels like some prayers take longer to get answered than others, it all depends on the particular situation (i.e our prayer request), and the person involved. However, I would say the prayers that the answer takes has a lot to do with timing, there is a process that God would take a person through in the course of waiting for their prayer to be answered. For instance, he may begin to show you areas in your life that needs to change (i.e attitudes and behaviors that need to be done away with, relational changes you need to make, he will expose wrong motive behind the prayer, or he may begin to lead you in a different direction). While you are waiting for the answer, you find yourself changing while you are praying, and the way you pray about your need also changes as well because you learn how to pray the right way, if you were not already doing so. Sometimes the answer to your prayer doesn’t come the way you expect it, and that can totally catch you of guard because it doesn’t seem like what you specifically asked for, but it meets your need in a way.

For this blog I want to focus on the people God uses to answer certain prayers, and how one can recognize those people when they meet them, I will also be talking about, how to become that person for someone else, and how to pray regarding this matter.

When it comes to being able to identify the people God uses to meet a need in someone’s life, solve a problem, provide direction or confirmation on something, or to provide the resources one needs to get to the next step of their life; one way to identify them, is when you are not praying for them specifically, but you are praying objectively regarding your problem. In the most unusual way God can bring the answer to your prayer by connecting you to somebody (whether its someone you already know or a stranger), and the need you are praying about comes up in the conversation you are having with them, and they are able to pick up on it without you telling them directly about the kind of help you need, and they want to help you meet that need on their own. You definitely know its God when you’re not really explaining your need to someone, but somehow they are able to recognize it and help solve that problem for you. Other times a situation may occur that may not be directly related to the need, but in the process of resolving that issue, you meet the need that you have. I will give you an example, let’s say I am praying to have a good friend because everybody needs someone in their life, they can count on, and I have been praying about this for a while. And I happen to meet someone who is having trouble at work, and may be on the verge of losing their job because of someone mistake they made, and I happen to know how to fix their situation, and I go and help them solve their problem. In the process of helping them get out of the sticky situation I gain a new friend (this may not be the best example, but I hope you get my point). Writing this blog could be a form of an answered prayer to someone who needs the wisdom I am sharing to help them understand this topic better. So they finding this post could be God leading them to me so they could find the answer to the question they have on their heart. Sometimes we can be used as a blessing to others without us realizing it. However, there are some prayers that the answers to those prayers require a miracle, and the way that the need is going to be met is not available to us, and we may not know the way out of that situation. The people God uses in those situations, have to be prepared to meet your need at the right time. Usually you don’t have to go looking for those people, God brings them your way, when the timing is right. Sometimes those people may be around you, but because it is not yet time for God to act in your situation, they may not even know that there are going to be used to solve your problem. At other times, they may be people you are familiar with but do not know personally, so it doesn’t cross your mind to approach those people, yet at other times God uses someone you haven’t met. Usually when a person reaches their appointed time to receive their answer or miracle, their circumstances will begin to move them towards the right people they need. Sometimes this may happen when you are in the midst of a crisis and you are forced to ask someone for help that you normally wouldn’t ask, but you ask them anyway because you really don’t have a choice. But as fate would have it, you end up asking the right person unknowingly, who was sent by God to help you. Bottom line is God can use anybody, who he uses and how he uses those individuals is totally up to him to decide; all he requires from us is our obedience and our willingness for him to work in the way he sees best.

The question how do I become the answer to someone’s prayer or the miracle that they need, is by being in tuned to God and becoming sensitive to others around you. Many times people miss opportunities to be a blessing to others because they were distracted, self-absorbed, or not paying attention to the signs God was giving them. If you are always so busy, always thinking or worrying about something, or focused on your own problems, it would be difficult for God to use you. You wouldn’t be able to recognize he is the one leading you, or who he is leading you too, when you distracted by many things. When God wants to use you, you feel strongly about what he is asking you to do, you don’t sit there questioning it because there is a peace you feel in your heart that you are doing the right thing. And this happens from the moment you find out about the need, whether is by the person mentioning it to you or you sensing it yourself, you just know you want to help the person, and you feel is the right thing to do for them. Sometimes you may have the solution to a person’s problem but are hesitant in helping them, perhaps because you don’t feel led to for whatever reasons, when that happens it may mean you are not the one chosen to meet that need. I remember when I used to get so frustrated because it felt like the people around me or the people I knew didn’t seem to care about my need, and even when they were aware of it, they chose to do nothing. Now it no longer frustrates me as much as before because I understand from experience, not everyone is meant to meet your need, and only the right people will respond to you.

 You can become the answer to someone’s prayer by sincerely praying that prayer daily, and asking God to lead you to the people he wants you to help. Keeping in mind, that help can come in many different ways, as long as you are open and available to be used by God. He can use what you have to bless someone else.

Sometimes the answer to our prayers is hidden until a set time when God suddenly allows people to have their eyes opened, and sometimes we must ask for God to open our eyes and show us the answer. We learn to accept the answer that God gives, whether or not it is according to our personal preferences. You may feel that you have not yet received an answer, but just because you feel that you haven’t received an answer doesn’t mean the answer hasn’t been sent. This is a great prayer that I find to be really helpful in this area. I encourage you to pray this prayer if this blog ministered to you in some way or resonates with you. Here is the prayer:

Father God,

Help me to have the response of faith. Forgive me if I have not been paying attention and you have already sent answers to my prayers. Right now I reject and refuse all unbelief, judgments, opinions and resistance to the answer to my prayers. I believe by faith that in as much as I am an answer for others that have a need, the answer to my prayer is also made available to me in others. Please open my eyes to recognize the answer that is right in front of me. Give me eyes to see how I can be the answer for others, too. Please give me a heart that is willing to accept Your answer, and respond in faith to whatever you show me. I don’t want to miss the time of my visitation! I know you work through human vessels, Lord, so please highlight the ones in which You want me to pay attention. Open my ears to hear the message that is communicated. You have an answer that I need to receive, so help me to receive it. I thank You for adjusting my heart in whatever way is needed so that I can respond in faith to the answer that You have sent. In Jesus name, amen. By Laura Gagnon.