The older I get and the more I experience, the more I find myself changing what I'm praying for. I used to pray that God would change the situation that I was placed in. Now that I've experienced a little more of life, (don't get me wrong, there is still plenty to experience,) I've started to pray that God change my outlook on the situation and to give me more understanding of what's going on.
One thing that I've definitely learned is that prayer works. God hears our prayers and is responding to them. He has the ability to use us in so many ways that we aren't even aware of. God has a plan for us. As cliche as it sounds, this is one thing that definitely gets me through the day. It gets me through the day knowing that I don't know all the information and that He already has it all figured out. Accepting that I don't know everything has not been easy, but it has been very rewarding. It's nice knowing that I don't have all the answers or know what God has in store for me. It helps so much because I can take comfort in the fact that there is behind the scenes things going on, that is leading up for exactly what I'm supposed to do.
It has not been easy for me to accept that every situation I am in has a purpose or will make me the person that I eventually will become. I used to pray that the situation would change, that I wouldn't have to overcome a certain obstacle, and I would even ask God, "Why me?" Being involved with so many things, I've found that I can better reach out to both Christians and non-Christians. It has given me a better understanding of what is going in the world, and how I can make a difference. I've found that praying for more understanding has been much more effective.
God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. This includes being put in situations, even if they are difficult. My least favorite phrase was always "God doesn't give you anything you can't handle." Wrong. God gives us situations we can't handle on our own all the time. The main point is that you can't handle them, at least not on your own. We need to surrender to God and admit when we need help. God wants us to totally rely on him and make sure that we are putting him at the center of our life. I can't get through life without God and without knowing the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for me. Praying for understanding has made me get through the situation by having a better understanding of what God wants me to get from the situation. Sometimes the situation serves as a reminder that I need God because I am human. Other times I've learned that God has given us a community of believers for a reason; in no way, shape, or form are we meant to walk this journey of life alone.
I'm thankful that God has taught me that situations happen for a reason and how important it is to fully rely on him. I'm thankful that He has also changed my heart and taught me to have more understanding rather than to ask for changes of situation. Praying for understanding has allowed me to grow a lot more in my faith, as well as become more dependent on God.
