Sunday, March 20, 2016

The Prayerful Practice of Procuring Everyday Miracles

“I just experienced a miracle,” I said to my wife, having within hours overcome a struggle I’d tussled with for weeks, by God’s grace.  “I didn’t even pray for it!”
My wife murmured, “Well, you may not have been praying… [but I have been].”
It’s a little thing.  But little things are also big things in the Kingdom of God.  And little miracles are like little sins — there’s no difference — a miracle is a miracle, just as a sin is a sin!
Everyday miracles are changes of mind over something wrestled with at a heart level.  And prayer undergirds them all.  I may not have had the discernment to pray, but my wife and others did — regarding this particular issue — and I had been released of the bond of disobedience.
The effect of the miracle was my peace was returned to me.
In reflection, I had reflected.  I had been open.  That was my contribution of obedience.  But it was others’ prayers that brought the grace of God’s favour into practical being.  For these prayers I’m mighty thankful.
For the peace we experience, there is peace that important others in our lives also experience, because we’re at peace.  A miracle that occurs in one life has the effect of benefitting others’ lives.
***
Miracles occur in the vivacious Christian life, and most when faith is stretched, life is uncomfortable, and hope in God is tested.
God is somehow realer and closer when we depend on Him to get us through.  And such a dependence makes faith facilitate His gracious favour; the experience of divine provision — a miracle — something we, in our own strength, could never procure.
Through prayerful practice, and through reflective obedience, we procure everyday miracles, yet only by God’s merciful grace.

© 2016 Steve Wickham.

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