Bragging About Answered Prayer

There have been many times when something worked out in my life. Sometimes I’d mention that to someone, and they’d say, “Great! That means God answered my prayer for you.” That should make me feel so good. They prayed for me. God answered their prayer. Good. But I can’t help feeling that it makes me look as though my own prayers were not good enough. At least, not on their own, without that person’s help.

I know I shouldn’t let that bother me. But knowing that it does makes me stop before I open my own mouth. Many times when something I prayed for, for someone else, worked out, I’d catch myself ready to say that very same thing, “I’m so glad. I was praying for that for you.” Once or twice, I did say it, early on. Then I’d catch a look in their eyes that seemed a bit sad. I’d remember, then, the times it happened to me. I took some joy away from them, the joy of their own answered prayer.

These days, I try hard to keep my mouth shut when my prayers for someone else are answered. I shut my mouth but I open my heart. And I thank God, quietly, silently, for helping them. I thank him for adding my prayers to whatever other prayers were sent to him for that person. Because, when you get down to it, it’s not about what we prayed for, it’s about what God knew was right in its timing. That’s a humbling thought, but a good one.