One of the difficulties of life as a Christian, is praying and hoping for God’s favor or intervention and for events to work in our interest, but sometimes they don’t. No matter how much we pray, or believe in God’s power to control the events, he does not always give us what we ask for.

We most likely will never know the reasons God decides to answer our prayers how he does, but we do learn from Romans 9 verse 15–16, “for He [God] said to Moses, “I wll have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassions.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort but on God’s mercy.”

In Egypt, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and Paul writes in Romans 9:17 about Pharaoh, ” I [God] raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

We should still pray and ask for God’s actions in our life and world, because he is clear on our need for prayer, and to bring our cares and concerns to him. In the end we always know as written in Romans 8:28, “…that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Dear Lord, help us to remember that your ways are higher than ours. Help us learn to include in our prayers, “not our will but Your’s be done.” In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.