My family went away for a few days of vacation a couple of weeks ago. Since I have teenagers, I only had to worry about packing for myself and my husband. I started a few days before, making little piles of items I knew we would need to bring. I consider myself somewhat organized, so imagine my panic that first morning in our vacation spot when I discovered that my asthma medicine was missing. I was up early, so I had no one to share my sheer terror that I was without vital medication. I searched again and again. I prayed, of course, I prayed, but then I started to figure out what my backup plan would be. In the early morning light, on my cell phone, I tried to find a way to switch the prescription to a local pharmacy. I filled out forms, made requests, and submitted numbers. By the time my family woke up, I was well into an hour of this process. I informed my husband, who was surprised I forgot to bring the meds. I mentioned I prayed about it, of course, I did, but I had a backup plan that might work. 

As the family began to prepare for the day, I reached into my bag to get the items I would need, and what do you think I found? My medicine. It shouldn’t have been in that bag.

I did check that bag, yet there it was. I took it in my hand and just sat down amazed, and then that still, small voice spoke to my heart. “You did pray for this, why didn’t you just wait and see what I would do?” I was convicted; I was ashamed. 

You must understand, reader, I am very good at figuring out backup plans and ways to fix a problem. I can think clearly in the most chaotic of situations, and I believe that is the gift of helps that God has given me. However, I know that God wanted me to pray and wait that morning.

As so often is the case, I started to wonder how many times I had done this in the past, the times when I had come up with a plan to fix it. I know I serve an awesome God, Who can make the impossible possible, but that does require trusting and waiting. One of the fantastic things about prayer is that it increases your faith when a request is answered. This reminds me of the verse in Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think….” I know that the next time I need to pray and ask God something, I am going to leave the situation with Him and not come up with a backup plan.

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Miriam Chung, Christian School Teacher

Mrs. Chung grew up around the work of the ministry and now has the privilege of teaching at the North Valley Baptist Schools. She and her husband faithfully teach young people and are a vital asset to the ministry of NVBC.