We find ourselves today in a climate where people are more interested in acting before asking. Often times we get excited about volunteering, helping and serving without finding out the who, what and whys for such an action.

A small analogy would help. Imagine a 5 year old playing chef on the living room carpet. She is wanting to act like her dad when she sees him in the kitchen and therefore pulls out some liquid ingredients off the shelf and plans to mix away. Her mom tells her not to dirty the carpet and therefore she lays down her favorite blanket before going at it. In the middle of the pouring, spilling, mixing, etc. she realizes that her favorite blanket is now a mess. In rapid hurry to remove the stains, she pleads with her mom for windex. She has seen her mom use it all the time to clean things and therefore is convinced that it would do the trick. Bugging her mom, she never once tells her what the problem is, but rather is way too occupied with what she is convinced to be the solution. However, if she would only speak to her mom about her problem, perhaps her mom would have a better solution (pun intended!) in mind.

This shows us how we are when we come to problems. We are so often convinced that we know (or need to know) the solution and it is what we go to God with when praying. But consider a character in the Bible. When Nehemiah heard that people that he cared for were in great trouble and shame (Neh 1:3), what was his reaction? “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven” (Neh 1:4). Nehemiah doesn’t strategize, plan or execute anything – at least not yet. He was determined to ask before acting. And no, his asking was not asking God for is acting, he was merely asking for his people. In other words, he wasn’t asking God to bless a plan that he had come up with, he was simply praying. What is amazing in the story is that four months later, a door opened up for him (Neh 2:1-8) through which he was able to be a catalyst for God. He not only lead the last group of exiles back into Jerusalem, but helped build the city.

What does this tell us? It tells us that when we are faced with problems, we are not urged to find the answer but to pray. The answer is to begin talking with God about it. Not going to Him necessarily for an answer or with an answer – but rather just going to Him. What relief when we are not responsible for the answer itself! What jarring questions would we be troubled with if that were the case!? Is the timing right? Is the decision right? Are the people right? Am I factoring in everything? What if there is a better way? For those who are going to go to God in prayer first there is a better way! Prayer. Speaking to God in prayer and running to a loving Father with our problems is what He is desiring for us at all times – let alone times like these. He already has the plan. In the right (perfect!) time, it will unfold through the best of the best means. Whats your responsibility? To press into Him and allow Him to bear your burden. What helps more is the very invitation of Jesus, the greatest burden bearer of all time “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).