Maybe We Have This All Wrong!

[truefiction1]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

God always answers our prayers. God answers them in the way that God is going to answer them, and this is often not the way many of us think or feel that God ought to answer them. There are reasons for the ways that God answers our prayers. There are reasons that certain people become ill, or injured, or die, or are suffering. There are reasons for everything under the sun. God's ways are not our ways. God is listening, but are we listening to God? Is prayer about God hearing from us, when God already knows what we need far better than we can even understand? Or is prayer more for our learning from God about what our needs really are, through our grace filled dialogue with God.

God always answers my prayers, which are always "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" or "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, as sinner" or simply "Lord have mercy on me", or Lord have mercy on this other person who is in need of your salvation", etc... and our Lord always does what our Lord can do.

What are these prayers of yours about, Jim Electronic, that God isn't hearing? I don't understand.

 

[Jim Electronic]

The bible said to ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

who do you believe our prayers suit?



No prayer should be followed with frustration......if it is....then this is why it isnt answered......as it would be against the method for praying....defined in the Gospels....

As a Christian who believes what they are told that God is listening and just can't wait to help you, of course frustration should not be the feeling because God is God! He can do anything! That Christian goes on waiting and waiting and waiting. Prays again, maybe saying things a little different. Maybe that Christian thinks God is busy with others and he waits and waits some more. The waiting turns into weeks, months, years while things get worse. Then it hits you...God isn't going to help. You've been deceived by what you've been told. God can answer prayer and there are long ago examples of that in His word but that was "then" and this is "now". He's turned His back on us and has left us to fend for ourselves. That's the point nobody wants to even think about yet the evidence is all around us.

 

[RaymondG]

I just read a great thread just yesterday about someone's dog getting healed (not heeled, if that's what you're thinking).

The shock and dismay comes not from God having not healed people, for God heals and chooses not to heal many people. Rather, your dismay comes from God not healing you, or doing what you asked. It's the "why me?" reaction. It's perfectly normal.

You asked God for something. He refused, as was his right. I think much could be learned from your reaction. There are those who humbly accept God's right to do as he chooses, which includes not only miracles but everyday circumstances, and then there are those who shake their fist at God and threaten to fire him, finding some other deity, or kill him, becoming an atheist.

Ultimately, God hardly cares about your problem, which is fleeting with respect to eternity, but he does care about you. That can be good or bad, depending on the final assessment.

THe bible says to ask and you shall receive. Where have you read that God would say no or choose not to answer? Why is it easier to believe that God would go against his Word than to believe that we misunderstand his words, or havent learned how to pray?

 

[Jim Electronic]

God always answers our prayers. God answers them in the way that God is going to answer them, and this is often not the way many of us think or feel that God ought to answer them. There are reasons for the ways that God answers our prayers. There are reasons that certain people become ill, or injured, or die, or are suffering. There are reasons for everything under the sun. God's ways are not our ways. God is listening, but are we listening to God? Is prayer about God hearing from us, when God already knows what we need far better than we can even understand? Or is prayer more for our learning from God about what our needs really are, through our grace filled dialogue with God.

God always answers my prayers, which are always "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" or "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, as sinner" or simply "Lord have mercy on me", or Lord have mercy on this other person who is in need of your salvation", etc... and our Lord always does what our Lord can do.

What are these prayers of yours about, Jim Electronic, that God isn't hearing? I don't understand.

In specific, some physical and much mental/verbal abuse of children by a very sick, worthless "mother".

 

[RaymondG]

As a Christian who believes what they are told that God is listening and just can't wait to help you, of course frustration should not be the feeling because God is God! He can do anything! That Christian goes on waiting and waiting and waiting. Prays again, maybe saying things a little different. Maybe that Christian thinks God is busy with others and he waits and waits some more. The waiting turns into weeks, months, years while things get worse. Then it hits you...God isn't going to help. You've been deceived by what you've been told. God can answer prayer and there are long ago examples of that in His word but that was "then" and this is "now". He's turned His back on us and has left us to fend for ourselves. That's the point nobody wants to even think about yet the evidence is all around us.

When you pray there is not waiting, and no frustration. Only joy and praise. When you pray believe that you have received...and you will receive....is what Jesus said. Therefore there is no concept of waiting....no need for frustration.. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. We have not because we ask not.......even when we think we are asking.....

 

[Halbhh]

You know He designed and built you and this universe so intervening in a family situation where children are being abused is a very simple problem for Him to solve. You know He can do it but WILL he do it? Guess what? You know that answer!

I was a child being abused (physically beaten), and God intervened (in a rather exceptional and jaw dropping way) and saved my life in a few seconds at one point (in a way that could not be explained as luck or human intervention).

One thing about 'you know that answer' is, sincerely, we cannot. It's not even possible. We are not able to know all things that happen (of course, that would be omniscience, right?). Seriously, people only know most of what happens to themselves, and some things that happen to others that they tell us about.

 

[Daniel Martinovich]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

There are conditions to getting prayers answered.

 

[dqhall]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

There is a prayer, "Pray only for the knowledge of God's will for you and the power to carry that out."

An old timer was telling me, "If you pray for a blessing and it rains, be prepared to grab a hoe and start chopping weeds."

Some forms of cancer may be prevented by a change in lifestyle and diet. Once a person gets cancer, it is a bit late to avoid the consequences. There is more hope in praying for a way to research how cancer may be prevented than to wait until someone has it and pray for their healing. Some new drugs have reduced the incidence of cancer mortality, but it remains the second leading cause of death.

For information about how to save money, I recommend "Way to Wealth," by Benjamin Franklin, 1758, copyright expired.
https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/coretexts/_files/resources/texts/1758 Franklin Wealth.pdf

 

[~Zao~]

;
An old timer was telling me, "If you pray for a blessing and it rains, be prepared to grab a hoe and start chopping weeds."
..

Or some just carry an umbrella in faith.

 

[Hawkins]

I did three days a week every week. A few times I started feeling weak during the end of the second day. The physical change which surprised me was starting the second day, I would need to urinate more than normal. My Christian doctor could not give me a reason for that. Eating after the fast was normal. One thing to remember is "they" say you are to pray about the problem you are dealing with as the hunger pangs exist. As time went on, the problem I was fasting and praying about just got worse.

Our whole life is a faith building process. This process is required for us to live an eternity in Heaven. He won't grant each and every prayer you said simply because what good does it do to your life of faith. In my opinion, your prayers are better for others such that even those prayers are answered they won't leave tracked records with proof or evidence which rather destroys your faith instead of building it.

Your question in this very thread only shows that you don't have enough faith in God, disregarding you fast often. The practice of "God must answer my prayer, or else..." is actually going a bad direction of faith building in your case, as your insist here is "If God doesn't answer my prayers I will no longer have faith in Him". You set that as a condition only means that your faith is actually fragile.

 

[truefiction1]

In specific, some physical and much mental/verbal abuse of children by a very sick, worthless "mother".

This is pretty serious. I can see why you could become upset at being aware of such things. If I may ask, and if you can answer, what is your relationship and involvement with this mother and children who are afflicted with these problems?

 

[AlexDTX]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

Two considerations:

1) God's promise is to be with us in the journey, not to eliminate trials.

Joh_16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

2)Prayers have to follow spiritual laws to effective. God has delegated certain responsibilities to us.

Mat_17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Jas_1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

This has to be complete faith, a genuine certainty it shall come to pass in the heart. And, of course, all prayer has to be within the known will of God.

Jas_4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

I am sure you will see my answer as being too simplistic and part of the "platitudes" you have heard so many times before. But the truth never changes and remains the same. It is not God who is the problem, it is us, regarding prayers being answered.

 

[~Zao~]

Our whole life is a faith building process. This process is required for us to live an eternity in Heaven. He won't grant each and every prayer you said simply because what good does it do to your life of faith. In my opinion, your prayers are better for others such that even those prayers are answered they won't leave tracked records with proof or evidence which rather destroys your faith instead of building it.

Your question in this very thread only shows that you don't have enough faith in God, disregarding you fast often. The practice of "God must answer my prayer, or else..." is actually going a bad direction of faith building in your case, as your insist here is "If God doesn't answer my prayers I will no longer have faith in Him". You set that as a condition only means that your faith is actually fragile.

I'm sure that God keeps records too. Not sure that fasting is something someone does when the bridegroom is with them tho.

 

[dqhall]

Our whole life is a faith building process. This process is required for us to live an eternity in Heaven. He won't grant each and every prayer you said simply because what good does it do to your life of faith. In my opinion, your prayers are better for others such that even those prayers are answered they won't leave tracked records with proof or evidence which rather destroys your faith instead of building it.

Your question in this very thread only shows that you don't have enough faith in God, disregarding you fast often. The practice of "God must answer my prayer, or else..." is actually going a bad direction of faith building in your case, as your insist here is "If God doesn't answer my prayers I will no longer have faith in Him". You set that as a condition only means that your faith is actually fragile.

I am reminded of two men who built houses. One built on a rock foundation. The other built his house on sand. After sheets of rain started to fall, they both prayed for God to save their homes. One had his prayers answered, the other did not.

Matthew 7:24-27 (WEB)
24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

I think a better analogy is think of God's work as being His desire to work through His Church, the Body of Christ, in what are otherwise ordinary, moral human ways. So, we have to question something here: WHEN and WHY was it that Christians began to think that the main purpose of prayer ... was to obtain remedies from God for just anything and whatever ails them?

 

[2Timothy2:15]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

The bible tells us to pray in all things. Jesus gave this example himself as he prayed many many times. Jesus prayed! The Father does care and he does answer prayers. It is important we pray in his will and we do not go on and on babbling. It is also important that we pray according to his word. With all that said I think there is an attack on your faith. I have seen many many prayers answered, he is faithful. He still heals, he does care, and he still answers prayers. Sometimes it is not what we wanted or expected but it is always what is best for his will. But you must check your heart. In addition there is no name it and claim it. There is no changing the weather, there is no praying down fire, there is laying hands on the sick, interceding for others, and casting out devils. First you must pray for yourself, that he helps you with your unbelief.

 

[NW82]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

I've had the same feelings, and its something I still struggle with, HOWEVER your argument isn't logical. I had two kids, so I've been in the Father role, and I heard them every time they said something...but my question is how many times do you think my answer to them was no, even for something they saw as legitimate? More often than not my friend. Just because the answer isn't yes doesn't mean He isn't listening. One of the false things of the modern world is instant gratification and your best life now. Neither of these two things are biblical.

 

[Not David]

I think you might be upset with somethoso going on. It's ok to be angry but you need to realize God is not a cosmic bending machine and history shows a lot of times bad things happening to Christians.

 

[Lord'sWarrior]

I don't know if you would apply these scriptures to yourself. Check if you're not testing God, wanting Him to manifest Himself because He is God. I understand desperation.

“The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”’”

 

[eleos1954]

Once again, I find myself at the end of a "slap in the face", "kick in the teeth", or whatever phraseology you wish to use to define this...spending long periods in prayer and fasting for God to intervene in a situation where I can do nothing and the matter just keeps getting worse and worse. Over and over, devout Christians are told to pray about their problems. "God is listening!", they are told. They get their hopes up and then what happens? As an example, lets say right now 100,000 Christians are laying in the hospital with cancer with many, if not all being prayed for. How many of them will suddenly go into remission? You know the answer! If the prayers were answered, many of them would! That fact alone would be proof positive God is listening, God has mercy and God healed them! You know what will happen. Maybe a few will go into remission and those few are simply NOT proof God answered those prayers. Christians are given the pep talk to pray and they do with the end result being no answer or things get worse. Those Christians go away discouraged, feeling deceived or like me, feel as I wasted my time because He wasn't about to lift a finger in the first place. Lets skip the usual Christian platitudes here. How do we know God even cares about us? As a father, if I had a son and he asked me for help, I'd be there. I'd do something. There would be no doubt in my son's mind I heard him. God may have heard and answered prayers of a few select people who were part of the establishment of mankind thru the history of the Bible, but how about NOW? I've been in this Christian life long enough now to realize most if not all of your praying is an exercise in futility. You may make yourself feel good for a few minutes, but that's about all will happen. I've swallowed the platitudes, read the books, heard the preachers. God is not listening. God does not care about our situations (meaning legitimate matters, not praying for a $200,000 car), we have been left alone here and He has shown very convincing evidence He is playing "hands off".

Lord, You are mighty and worthy and full of perfect love. Everything I’m not. When You said in your word to, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 NIV), that passage doesn’t mean You’d give me everything I asked for when I asked for it. It means that if I take delight in You, You’ll fill my heart with the desires You want me to have. Next time I come to you in prayer, build my faith. Open my eyes to the way You see things whether my prayer is answered the way I want or not. Change the way I think. Make me more like You. And thank you for taking care of me in the very best way, even if sometimes I don’t understand your decisions. In Jesus’ name, amen.