George Macdonald

Like others, I have prayed for healings, for miracles, for guidance, and for assistance.  Frankly, there were times I was sure God would answer me because I had mustered strong feelings of faith.  But many of those times nothing happened -- or if it did, it was entirely unlike what I had anticipated.... The fact is that my prayer life cannot be directly tied to the results I expect or demand.  I have had many opportunities by now to see that the things I want God to do in response to my prayers can be unhealthy for me.  I have begun to see that worship and intercession are far more the business of aligning myself with God's purposes than asking Him to align with mine.