A Child-Like Mind

I was speaking to a group of youth a few weeks ago at my church and the topic was prayer. I asked the group of young elementary students a question and the answer stunned me for a long time. I asked them, "when you pray for something, whatever that may be, if its to get something, or for something to happen, what do you do if God does not get you that something or do what it is you asked Him for?". Two answers were given. 1. You keep praying. 2. Wait for God to give it to you later.
This was a group of kids 5Th grade and under. The answer did not shock me because that's what they feel, it shocked me because we as adults don't even understand that concept. "Keep Praying" and/or Wait for it. Psalms 69:13 says "but I keep praying to you Lord, hoping THIS time you will show me favor. This passage indicates that a prayer was submitted for something and it was not granted so they kept praying for it. Isaiah 64:4 says, "for since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who WAIT on Him." This shows that God works for those who wait and are patient. He blesses according to His time and a great reward is there for us who wait on Him.
Young children gave this answer....so why can we not, as adults, grasp this concept? We say we will wait, but let's be honest, have you? Or did you take the task in to your own hands and try to accomplish what it is you asked God to take care of? Relationships, jobs, money, homes, cars, all other material needs, children, family, and friends. All basic things we all submit in prayers to God. We have wants we call needs that we ask for from Him and when it doesn't happen when we want it to, we take back control and try to accomplish what we have already given to God. When it doesn't go the way we thought it should, we get mad, upset at God and discouraged. We even get so caught up, we leave church's and walk away from God. We stop praying and fasting and start questioning ours faith and the faith others have. We are suppose to know better but we don't. Children seem to have a better grasp of this understanding and the question is How? or Why? I can also ask the question of when or where do we lose it? The faith and our belief in what we know to be true.
I believe on one end it is as simple as a young child's understanding of this concept with out knowing the scripture. As a parent, there are a million things my children ask me for on a daily basis. Daddy this....daddy that. Can I get this..can I get that. I hear this and sometimes I get or do what it is they are asking at the time and other times I don't. I may get it later or not at all. A child understands this of their parents. Sometimes they ask and they get...sometimes they ask and don't get it...sometimes they ask and get it later. The enlightening part about it is they don't know why we do it, they just learn to except it. WE KNOW WHY!! We do it for various reasons. They don't need it, we don't have it at that time, not what we want to do right now, or it was something you were going to get for a special occasion and if they do get it now, it is because they deserve it. All the reasons indicate your love and desire for them. Is this not the exact words God gives to us? We do it with a Godly method and way and yet we don't want to allow God to do us that way. Further more, if our child is 16 and ask for a new car, if we don't get it right then for whatever reason you choose, does your child run out and get it on their own? or do they wait until they are able to or we provide it? Now I know there are some that would go out and get a job, save the money and eventually try and buy it cash. Here is the beautiful, Godly notion behind that process. Through their efforts, they are learning so much with being employed, discipline, appreciation for the efforts, and a sense of worth and growth. Add to that this...as parents, we see the efforts of our children through this, we admire and enjoy what they are learning and how they are growing so what do we do? We match them or just bless them with the car since they have shown the work ethic to accomplish what it is they want and we appreciate the commitment. Isn't this how God is? Taking care of those who take care of themselves? Providing a way for us when we have proven ourselves to Him? As adults we read scripture and hear preachers preach this type of Godly methods and we are old enough and wise enough to discipline ourselves to follow....but it is the children that exercise the faith and belief that their parents will provide and will take care of them. They trust their parents to love them and take away the burdens and pains. This profile of parenting comes from God. He has laid the foundation and the older we get, the more we try to take off on our own. Don't we get upset when our children grow up and act like they don't need us any more?
So you see, we are following the example that God has provided and have messed it up. When we pray, and God has told us to pray, what ever we ask for or whatever we feel we need, we have to trust God to provide what we really need. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He has provided for you before, He has answered your prayers before and shown you why you didn't get something you have asked for. We say we trust God, but do we really? Do we trust Him the way our children trust us? If we don't, is it because we are not acting in a way that our children could or should trust us and we feel guilty? The bible says that "as a child, we do child like things but when we get older, all childish things are put away" (paraphrased) however God wants us to love him in a child like manner. This is why we refer to Him as "Father" and we are the children of God. He wants us to go after Him in a child like behavior, so even as we grow up, just like with our earthly parents, we still love them as their children, we are to love God as His children and submit to Him that way. Go after God like a child, trust Him like you want to and know that when you submit a prayer to Him, remember like those elementary students at my church know, if God doesn't answer you or grant you what it is you pray for, either 1. Keep Praying or 2. Wait on the Lord. He has reasons for what He does and it is not for us to understand...just for us to trust His love for us.