Jeremiah 17:7-8 – “But blessed are those trusting in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots by the stream. Not fearing when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, never failing to bear fruit.”
A considerable amount of my prayers are preemptive in nature. With such prayers, I am asking the LORD to not allow potentially difficult situations to unfold. I’ve experienced His intervention in many amazing ways. These include home appliances continuing to function for years without costly repairs or replacement, a misunderstanding halted before causing a huge rift in a relationship, or something on the horizon I was dreading not occurring.
However, despite all my preemptive prayers, occasionally something I am concerned about does unfold. Such occurrences are unsettling and I am tempted to overanalyze and wonder what went wrong.
Recently during one such time, I felt the LORD telling me to stop fretting about the situation and worrying about praying ineffectively. Instead, He seemed to be directing me to pause and simply put my trust in Him. In doing so, I began feeling assurance of His goodness, love and ability to care for me even though what was occurring was totally different than what I had been praying for. Placing my trust in Him gives me confidence for any unexpected and/or unwelcomed situation. I can flourish just like a deeply rooted tree planted by the water.
- Phyliss Hooten
