“I trust in God, my Savior, the one who will never faiillllll. He will never faaaiiillll. I sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered . . .”¹ I belted out the lyrics to the song as I got ready for a court hearing (via Zoom). It had been a particularly hard week personally and professionally, and I had decided to praise and pray to the Lord as I prepared for this hearing. Brushing my hair, putting on my lipstick (because if I’m on a Zoom call without a red lip, am I even trying?), I sang the lyrics and prayed out loud as if God was standing right next to me. And it was comforting. I told God how I was feeling, asked for His help in my life and focus for the hearing, and at the end of it, I felt good.

This praise and prayer session was needed particularly because I was not looking forward to having a hearing on this case. I had been going back and forth with the attorney on the other side trying to settle the case. What my claims adjuster and I (I work for an insurance company) had offered was reasonable, but the case would not settle and I kept going back and forth with emails and calls to the attorney explaining to him why the amount he demanded for settlement was unreasonable. I was frustrated and thought the hearing was a waste of time. Because of this, I needed an extra dose of focus and patience in getting my mind right.

Having finished my prayer and praise and with new resolve, I tossed on my suit jacket, gave myself one last once-over in the mirror, and headed back to my computer to get ready to log on. (Oh, did I mention I work from home?) Before I reached my computer, my phone, which I was holding, began ringing. “This is Whitney,” I answered. It was the Plaintiff’s attorney, and he was calling to tell me that his client accepted the offer, and the case was settling. Well, thank you, Jesus. Literally. I chatted it up a few minutes more and finally sat down at my computer to email my adjuster to let her know the case had settled. Then I ready my inbox. I had three or four emails from that same attorney that he sent before that call. The first email said his client accepted the offer, the second email said, no, his client would not accept the offer (which would have legit been a legal problem by itself, had the attorney kept that position–no take backs–whether on the playground or in a court of law, buddy). And then another email saying that yes, his client did accept the offer. Also, there was an email from co-Defendant counsel in the case saying that she had settled the case for her client. All of this happening in my inbox while I’m oblivious, praising and praying. The realization of what happened really blessed me.

Listen, in our lives, we don’t know WHAT is going on behind the scenes. God is always orchestrating things. He moves on our behalf even when we can’t perceive it. And sometimes He just waits, too. That too is his prerogative as Lord over our lives. The praising and praying doesn’t guarantee a certain outcome. It guarantees our commitment to Jesus. Praising and praying through all of it shows God, that yes, we trust you with our lives, no matter what. Sometimes we rise from praise and praying with renewed strength to keep facing the hard. And sometimes, like that particular day, we rise from praise and praying to find the mountain moved. And we smile, knowing that God, who loves us infinitely, has seen us seek Him, has heard our prayers, and He has answered. Thank you Lord, for the grace to trust you more.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being the One who sees. Thank you for hearing our every whispered prayer. Thank you for being moved with compassion when you hear the cries and prayers of your people. Thank you, Lord, even for the perceived silence from You because we know that waiting on You cultivates our faith, hope, and trust in You.² And Lord, thank you that we can declare like David: “I sought the Lord, He heard me, and rescued me from all of my fears. . . and saved [me] from all my troubles.”³ You are a good God. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1. Trust in God, by Elevation Worship. ↩︎
2. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 ↩︎
3. Psalm 34:4-6 ↩︎