Sometimes...

I love prayer.

I mean LOVE. Not just the love you have for ice cream, or for that cute guy in your Algebra class, I mean a true, deep, passionate love. Have you ever really thought about the gift of prayer? We can stop and talk to God whenever, wherever. He's always listening. He always cares. And He always answers.

It's that answer I sometimes don't like.

Because, you see, sometimes, God says yes. Sometimes, God says no. And most of the time, He gently whispers, Wait.


Either way, a lot of the time I don't like it.


Sometimes He says yes.


I had a darling aunt who went through a difficult time and as a result came to live with us. My mom recently shared that in an e-mail my aunt wrote to her, my aunt had prayed, "May the tears be over soon, Lord!" A mere month later, she was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of forty-six. A year after that, she was with her Lord in heaven. The tears did cease -- but not in the way any of us wanted or expected. But sometimes, God says yes.

Sometimes He says no.

During that time in which my aunt was fighting cancer, hundreds of people across the country were praying for her diligently and devotedly. With so many begging for her recovery, you would think He would listen.

He did.

But He said no. And even though some did not believe He had answered at all, the rest of us knew: He listened, and He answered. But sometimes, He says no.

Sometimes He says wait.

To continue with this story: I prayed all my life for a sister. The youngest with two older brothers, who are both wonderful, I nevertheless wished for female companionship. Someone to dress up with. Someone to share thoughts about books and movies with and get the same "emotion-driven" response. And more recently, someone to giggle under the covers with until late at night, sharing secrets I would dare not trust to anyone else, but that I trust to that person in particular because she's going through the same things at the same time. For twelve years, God said wait.

But when my aunt went home to be with the Lord, she left behind a beautiful legacy: two girls, one close in age to me, the other quite a bit younger. And she left them to us. I finally had the sister I wanted -- two, in fact. They are the sweetest girls I know. I have someone to play dress-up with. I have someone who loves the same things I do. And I have someone to share my deepest secrets with -- my latest crush, my darkest thoughts, my wildest dreams. I love them both to death. But before they became so closely involved in my life, I had to realize: Sometimes, He says wait.

What are you praying for right now? What answer are you receiving? You may like it, you may not. But no matter what, keep this in mind: If you pray for a friend, remember you already have a Best Friend. If you pray for healing, remember who knows what that really means, even if it means departure from this world. If you pray for hope, remember who your Hope is. And if you pray for love, remember who loved you so much that He gave up His life for you.

Sometimes, He says yes. Sometimes, He says no. Sometimes, He says wait. But always, always, He says, "I love you with an everlasting love." And He always answers.