There are certain things that you want to ask God to give you more of. Who does not want more of His love, joy, and peace in our life. Then there are other things that we also may need in our life but may never want to ask God for. You ask, what could that be?
I was a relatively new believer and was about to take a road trip. The man who led me to the Lord was there to send me off and before leaving we had a word of prayer together. In my prayer I asked the Lord for patience on my journey. When I finished my prayer, hefor,oked at me and said, Paul, do you realize what you just prayed for and I said yes, patience. He then said, “Do you know how someone acquires patience?” I said you just ask God to give it to you. Was I naïve.
He then explained that the way man acquires patience is through tribulation. The road trip took twice as long as it should have. There was one problem after another, a flat tire on a trailer I was pulling that had no spare was but one.
I learned three valuable lessons. One, God answers prayer and not as we may anticipate. Two, every time something else went wrong on the trip I learned patience. Three, I will never pray for patience again. There is enough tribulation in life, so no need to ask God for more.
“…knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”
Romans 5:3 KJV
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