Expert: Rev. Stuart Woodward - 10/25/2009

Question
I have been wondering how we can intercede for each other in prayer. (I have also heard that new believers such as myself may have a little less fatih than mature believers) I have been praying to be able to attend a university because i feel it would give me a great oppurtunity for education and to gain responsibility but i feel i may not get my prayers answerd.Any advice?

Answer
Hi Carly,
Thank you for your question. Many books have been written about prayer and along with a number of certainties there are a few mysteries. However, prayer is at root simply talking with God and alongside praising him, confessing stuff and praying for others God wants us to ask Him for the things we want and indeed to tell Him about the desires of our heart. It is all about developing a relationship with Him and learning to hear Him as well as speak ourselves.
If you are asking God about attending university you are talking Him about a good thing. There are parables in the bible about persisting in prayer and not giving up. We know from Matthew 7:7-12 that God wants to give good gifts to those who ask Him. The bible also tells us that when we agree with others in prayer about something it will be done (so getting others to pray with us is good) and of course it talks about the importance of faith. However, faith is not like a measuring jug where you have to get to a certain point on a scale. It is simply trusting God completely and that is something a new believer can learn to do very quickly. Indeed it is sometimes the older Christians who have allowed the life of trust to slip a bit that find this harder.
The implication of trust is that you believe God knows best and does all things well. So by all means ask about university and if you believe it may be the direction God wants you to go then push doors and try to get in. However, like a small child coming to a parent, sometimes that parent knows a better way and will show that in increasing measure as the child grows older.
My experience is that God wants to bless us with what we ask for unless He knows that another way would be better for us. The life of trust is about enthusiastically embracing God's way.
I hope these ramblings are of some help to you and that God opens the doors to you future that you want so much.
May God bless you,
Stuart Woodward