Over the past year I have had a prayer that has gone unanswered. I have pleaded with God, gotten angry and then just submitted to the effects that the unanswered prayer had on my life.

What was the prayer?

I had prayed for more work so that I could get out of debt. God didn’t answer that prayer immediately. I think He had other things in mind.

There was one time I didn’t know how I was going to pay my bills. Then an unexpected check from the IRS came. There have been so many times during the past few years that different friends have helped me take care of my bills. I truly love those friends from the depths of my heart. A few of them have done so at a great sacrifice-they have taken care of my needs before taking care of their own. My family has also chipped in. The generosity of others is something which warms my heart.

It is not that I live lavishly. I do have a nice house but the mortgage is not much more than a two bedroom apartment. I don’t spend much on clothes or decorations. I do work hard and I am very committed to my career but it always seems like I come up short. I have been good at budgeting but I am trying to be even better.

During the time when I had free time I chose to work on my novel and I got quite a bit more written. I kept in mind that God’s calling on my life was not to be a nurse, it was to be a Christian writer. I became involved in a Bible Study and even started my own for a short time.

I developed some new friendships with my patients and other individuals and ministered to some of these new friends. I consider some of these friends the most remarkable people I have ever met.

I have also spent more time with my daughter. I am truly enjoying the time I have with her, watching her grow into an independent young woman.

All of these things have happened because God did not answer the prayer, until last week. We had a change in management and now I am booked solid with appointments. The owner told me yesterday in passing that he had told them to give me more visits.

I have had times of anxiety and restlessness over this period in my life but I have also been thankful to God for the rest He has forced upon me. The part in Psalms 23  about” leading me beside still waters and restoring my soul” comes to mind.

Sometimes I think it may be more important how we respond to unanswered prayer than it is actually getting the answer we want.