This is the Truth Network. Encouraging Prayer. God offers an open invitation for His people to talk with Him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the bestselling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.
And now, here's James. Prayers, but not quite the way we ask. You know, we don't get what we ask for, but it gives us something different, something better, right? Have you ever had that experience? Oh, man, Robbie, I know I have. I think about some of the relationships I prayed for, like in high school.
I'm so blessed it didn't work out that way. Oh, you got that right. But there really is a lot more to this, right? Actually, before we went on the air, you were mentioning Monica and her son.
Yeah, yeah, that's one of the first things that comes to mind. And it's a great example from history, and it's the story of Monica, who was the mother of Augustine. And, you know, Augustine is obviously this incredible thinker, genius, you know, amazing influence on the early Christian faith and our faith today. And he didn't start out that way. You know, he was a wild child, to say the least, and into a lot of stuff. And he wanted to leave Carthage, where he lived in North Africa, to go to Rome.
And, you know, this is when the Roman Empire is still pretty much, you know, it's in a powerful place, starting to decline because of its debauchery. And, you know, his mother is thinking, oh, no, that's the last place he needs to go. You know, it's just he can't go. And she's praying and praying, Lord, don't let him go.
I mean, he did. How is he going to know you if he goes to Rome, and, and she actually follows him, you know, down to the dock. And you may know the story, you know, she, she's pleading with him to the point where she gets exhausted. And then he tells her, well, Mom, the ship doesn't sail until tomorrow morning. So go over there.
There's a chapel over there, go get some rest over there. And, and I'll see you tomorrow morning. But he lies to her. And the ship sails that night. And the amazing thing is that what happens in Rome is he meets Jesus. Jesus sets him free, transforms his life. And later, he's convicted about what he does to his mother. And he writes in his confessions about what that morning must have been like for her, how, you know, she gets up and sees the ship has sailed. And he basically says, well, God didn't ask, give her what she was asking for, in the moment, so that he could give her what she really wanted, a saved son. So, you know, what we're talking about is those moments, again, as you said, where God gives us something better, but it may not be what we're thinking about. No, let me tell you. I've certainly experienced that one. I'm sure you have.
Oh, yeah. And this, I really think this is a principle of the Christian life. Because if you look at Rome, again, Romans, Paul in the very beginning of Romans, Romans 110, you know, praise that he might go to Rome. It's just this beautiful prayer that he might go to Rome and, you know, basically enjoy their, you know, their fellowship and, and, you know, build their faith. And let me see, I think I've got it right here.
Romans, Romans 110. I remember you constantly in my prayer. Well, here. I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of the sun is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times. And I pray that now at last by God's will, the way may be open for me to come to you.
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong. You know, he goes on from there. And the incredible thing is, how does he go to Rome? Oh, wow, I see where you're going there. Like, he was praying he'd go to Rome, but he ended up going there in chains, right? He went to prison, right?
Right. I mean, that's, he ends up going to Rome, he ends up dying there. And, you know, yet, while he's there, he has the opportunity to preach to so many even in the household of Caesar. And so he does this, this incredible work influencing so many believers, and God, God really did answer his prayer.
And Ben Patterson, when he's when he's writing about this, shares a great illustration. It's a prayer from the Civil War, and you may have heard it before. A Confederate soldier writes that, I asked for strength that I might achieve, I was made weak, that I might obey, I asked for health, that I might do greater things, but was given sickness, that I might do better things. I asked for riches, that I might be happy, but was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power, that I might have the praise of others, but I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life, I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I received nothing that I asked for, and all that I hoped for. My prayers answered. Exactly. I mean, absolutely, exactly what he does.
Yeah. And, and man, I mean, just just think I think about what happened in my life with, you know, having a prodigal son, and going through all of the pain and struggling with that. When we were going through it, I was prompted to write prayers for prodigals. And I had no idea at the time that, you know, God would would use that book to help people all over the world. And, you know, it'd be translated into other languages, I had no idea how many people were going through the same thing. And, you know, my eyes were just on Lord heal my son, please help him to turn to you and, and God eventually did that.
But, you know, first I had to go through that other season. And in that season, God brought something really fruitful out of it. That could be a help and blessing to others and to me as well. Yeah, time's like a time to pray.
Yeah, I was just gonna say so. Father, we we do ask, help us to trust you. That, as it said, sometimes that when we can't see your hand that we can trust your heart. And we thank you that you are good and that you will bring good that we never anticipated out of the love and kindness of who you are. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network.
