Being watchful in it with Thanksgiving...

Have you ever prayed for something and have forgotten that you've ever prayed for it because it was not answered at the very instant?  I remember a few years back, a good friend of mine pointed out that Colossians 4:2 says "Continue steadfastly in your prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."  We were talking about the watchfulness that was called upon in our praying that is an evidence of our confidence in God to hear and answer our prayers. 

To be honest, I am not often very watchful -- and even if I was in the beginning, time often wears me out as I don't see the Lord answering right away in the way that I've asked.  So, I give in to thinking that the Lord is absent or uncaring -- which can lead to prayerlessness, or prayers that are not characterized by faith, but just moving with the motions and formulaic.

This past week, it strucked me as I was reflecting on this past year and the things that the Lord is currently bringing me to how He has been working all along behind the scene.  When I quite teaching, one of the things that I was hoping for in my new job was a job that would allow me to think regularly outside of the job and also look into opportunities of going overseas -- when I was teaching I only thought of those things during spring break or summer vacation and just enough to bring me to the beginning of a new school year.  As the Lord seems to be opening up an opportunity for me to go overseas very soon, it suddenly occured to me that my current job is an answer to prayer and this new opportunity is the result of the Lord working through all those different circumstances to bring me to what I asked Him for.

I was humbled to think that this whole time, I was working (and sometimes complaining) at my job, the Lord was working behind the scene to get me to this point.  I was also ashamed that I was faithless in thinking that the Lord would answer, how the timing would be perfect and how I learned other things that I didn't even anticipate along the way.  It was a good lesson for me to learn especially as I fret over so many different things in my life, hopes deferred, that my finite mind and faithless heart have concluded that the Lord doesn't seem to be answering.  I needed to be reminded of the call to continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful -- and not only that but with thanksgiving -- because we know that our good and loving Heavenly Father will only bring about good into the lives of His beloved children!  I am His and He cares for me, even in ways that I am not aware of my need for caring.