The last week has seen an answer to many prayers, our little girl is sleeping through the night. At eleventh months it feels like an eternity without a full night sleep but it’s amazing how quickly ‘all is forgotten’. Life moves on and it’s all too easy to rely again on myself and my own resources. Both Jona and I have spent many hours over many nights in prayer, in part that Annabelle would sleep but also searching for the grace to be the parents, with the necessary patience that she requires.
I remember with Zach that when he had an unsettled time Jona shared with me that he was praying that Zach would ‘fall asleep in 3…2…1’. Needless to say, God did not meet us in that prayer. Instead He reminded us that He would provide for all our needs, He would enable us to be the parents that He created us to be. Even after learning such a lesson, I have had to learn it again. I can’t rely on my own strength and abilities. In the vulnerability of sleepless nights relying on myself only led to frustration.
God is patient and He hears our prayers. The challenge for us though is to be still to hear His response and be prepared that it may not be what we want to hear. If God has promised to do something, He is faithful to see it happen. I desire to see God’s promises realised and I pray that I can be like Abraham. When Abraham was over 100 God promised him that he would become a father. Although impossible to understand the how and why in the natural, he believed and after a season of waiting Isaac was born. We need to wait patiently and trust God, His word is true no matter what trials and temptations we face
Romans 4:18 (Abraham) contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken