SAINT EPHREM, DEACON AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Go, look again!

God had assured Elijah that the three-year drought was about to end. Now, Elijah had confidently prayed and believed that God would keep that promise. But he needed to send his servant to look out to sea seven times before the youth spotted the tiny cloud—a cloud that would soon bring an overwhelming downpour. Once he saw the evidence, Elijah’s servant had the confidence to spring into action, and he told King Ahab a storm was on the way.

Oftentimes we can be like that servant, desperately scanning the horizon for signs of God’s action. Was Elijah’s servant grumbling about his many trips to “look again”? We don’t know. But we do know how weary we can become from waiting and looking for signs. It’s challenging to persevere in prayer when we can’t yet see any evidence that God is answering those prayers.

The Lord can and sometimes does answer us right away—and in dramatic ways. But most often, his work proceeds by small, almost imperceptible steps. The changes we’re praying for in ourselves, our families, or our surroundings can take time to bloom fully. So don’t give up!

Go ahead and pray for the big things that matter most to you—the miraculous healing, the dramatic conversion, the much-needed reconciliation. Then ask God to help you see where and how he has already begun to work. Perhaps a doubting teenager “likes” a prayer posted on social media. Perhaps relatives who haven’t spoken to each other in years chime in on the same email thread. Or maybe a friend who has struggled with guilt for months is finally able to look you in the eye. Rejoice in these signs, even if they are as small as a wisp of cloud on the horizon.

Be like Elijah and his servant. Keep looking even if it seems that nothing is happening. Don’t be reluctant to go back again and again to search for God’s answers. And when you do see signs of progress, rejoice! Be confident in the truth that God does hear and answer your prayers.

“Lord, I dare to believe you are answering my prayers. Open my eyes to what you are beginning to do.”

Psalm 65:10-13
Matthew 5:20-26
1 Kings 18:41-46