Nausea, An Answer to
Prayer
By Lisa Boyer
“I call on you, my
God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.”
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.”
Psalm
17:6 (NIV)
It
wasn’t the answer I expected, but it was a very clear and specific answer….
I
was at work when the pain began. I finally got a hold of someone in the
doctor’s office and was told I needed to go to the hospital. In spite of
several offers from co-workers to drive me, I set off for the hospital alone.
While
en route, I made a quick call to my church staff to let them know what was
going on. Asked if I could drive, I replied that I was already driving. One of
them prayed with me over the phone and we hung up just as I got on the highway.
We
weren’t off the phone for more than a few seconds when the nausea began.
Immediately, I knew it was an answer to prayer because the staff member had
specifically prayed that God would make it clear to me whether I should drive
myself or not. I got off at the next exit, parked my car and called a friend
who drove me to the hospital.
James
5:16 instructs us to pray for each other and Matthew
18:20 reminds us “where two or three gather in My (Jesus) name, there am I
with them.” (NIV) Praying for others with
them combines both of these verses, and the benefit… the blessing… is
often greater. Had the staff member not prayed with me on the phone, I may not
have understood the point of the nausea (I am stubborn that way). Obviously, I
don’t know what would have happened had I driven myself that day, but God knows
and I trust His judgment.
Of
course, there were other parts of that prayer that I would have loved an
immediate answer to, but KNOWING God heard the prayer and provided an answer to
the most urgent request filled me with peace and made me smile.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you been praying for someone? If not,
will you ask God for whom He wants you to pray, listen for His answer and pray
for him/her today?
2. The next
time you’re talking to a friend and say you’ll pray for her/him, will you
consider doing it right then and there?
FURTHER READING:
Lisa
has been married to Ted for over 20 years and they have two teenage sons. Lisa
administers Fresh Start’s Facebook and blog, and loves hanging out with and
impacting teenage girls for Christ.
