“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:1-3)

When I read these verses today, I thought about prayer. Often times when I pray, I ask God to search my heart to ensure my intentions of the prayer are pure. While I like to believe all of my prayers are from a heart of good, that isn’t always the case.

Many prayers I have prayed have not been answered; at least the way I wanted. But every time this happens, it is because God’s plan is better than mine. There was something in the answer to that prayer that He didn’t feel was best for me and I have learned that in itself is the biggest blessing. Whether it be a job myself or someone else didn’t get, or whatever it may be, there was always something better he brought me that allowed me to see that His ways are better than my own.

Because of these unanswered prayers, I have learned to trust God. Now when I pray, I ask for the “thing” but I also ask that if it isn’t His best for me, that the prayer not be answered. That my heart be changed to aligned with what He has for me and that I see that as good.

I pray today you do the same.