For Real?

Romans 8:26-27  (NIV)

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

We all occasionally need a reality check!  I’ve often prayed for patience, only to find myself in the slowest checkout line at the grocery store or stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.  I think God’s sometimes gives us opportunity to practice what we pray.  He is actually answering our prayers, but not like we had hoped or anticipated. 

When we pray, our approach is to ask for what we think we need, but do we really know what we are asking or what we even need?  When prayers go unanswered or we get a different response, we ask is God really listening.  Are my prayers even getting through?  Thank God for the Holy Spirit who knows the Father’s heart, who knows how to reconcile the two so that we ultimately receive God’s best and not everything we ask for.

Holy Spirit, thank you for seeing the good and perfect will of God completed in me.