Hands off praying

This is from Cynthia Bezek, editor of Pray!

Back in the dark ages when students, writers, and editors used typewriters, I yearned for a Smith Corona electric portable with correction cartridge (can you believe that model was state-of-the-art when I was 17?). I made my request known to Mom and Dad, but for some reason, I thought they hadn’t heard me or that they weren’t interested in my need. So I moved on to Plan B. I’ve always been a "Can-Do, Make-It-Happen" kind of person, so I started saving my money and reading the advertisements. Eventually I found a typewriter that I could pay for myself; true, it wasn’t as nice as the model I’d originally hoped for, but it would do.

I announced my intention to buy the typewriter to my parents, who to my surprise, were disappointed. "We’d planned to get you that typewriter you really wanted! Why do you have to do it yourself and get something not nearly as nice?"

Why indeed?

Several weeks ago, I began praying about something my family and I believe we need. But when God didn’t seem to be doing anything about it, I moved into Do-It-Yourself mode. So far, though, I haven’t managed to make it happen. Yesterday I had just started concocting Plan C when the Lord reminded me about the first-rate typewriter my parents bought for me so many years ago. Why don’t you relax and let Me work? Don’t take the fun out of it for Me! He seemed to be saying.

So what does Father have in mind concerning this request my family and I have been asking Him about? I don’t know yet, but with His infinite creativity, resources, time, and power, I know I can trust Him to do a better job with this than I can. I’m taking my hands off this one, and I’m learning to live Phil. 4:6: "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done" (NLT).