Unanswered Prayers

Barnyard Management Unanswered Prayers

In 1990 the popular country singer Garth Brooks released a song called “Unanswered Prayers.” Take Ken Farmer a little journey back in time to this song with me. The words to the song start with the following:

Just the other night at a hometown football game

My wife and I ran into my old high school flame

And as I introduced them the past came back to me

And I couldn’t help but think of the way things used to be

She was the one that I’d wanted for all times

And each night I’d spend prayin’ that God would make her mine

And if he’d only grant me this wish I wished back then

I’d never ask for anything again

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers

Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care

Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

She wasn’t quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams

And I could tell that time had changed me

In her eyes too it seemed

We tried to talk about the old days

There wasn’t much we could recall

I guess the Lord knows what he’s doin’ after all

And as she walked away and I looked at my wife

And then and there I thanked the good Lord

For the gifts in my life

As you hear these words, I am confident that most of us have had many similar unanswered prayers. You remember the job you always wanted, the car you had to have, and maybe even the guy or girl that you knew would make your life complete and perfect!

Well, most of us, including me, have these bittersweet memories. All the things we just knew we had to have to get our life in balance and promised to God that “if he would grant me this wish, I would never ask for anything again.”

Thank goodness that God knows more about our real needs than we do! As the words continue, it says “that just because He doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care” is so very true.

The Bible refers to the Book of Life eight times. This reference is found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Book of Life assures that God knows his true followers, keeps and protects them during their earthly journey, and brings them home to him in heaven when they die.

I have always thought that once you get to heaven, they will let you read from the Book of Life, and you will understand clearly why things did and did not happen. Things like how you missed being in the bad wreck that happened right in front of you? Why you did not die in an awful fire that night? Why you did not marry that special girl or guy or even how your life ended up like it did?

You can’t help but wonder how things happened and how you were blessed in your life.

The words to this song can give you a lot of insight and hopefully some blessings when you stop and think about your life. I had a chance a few weeks ago to drive through my hometown. Things did not appear to have changed much to me. Many of the buildings were smaller now than what I remember as a child and most things had not changed that much. My former high school had been added to with a nice new addition but the for the most part, time had been good to Yanceyville. Like all of us, I remember the good times and bad times in high school. All the things you wanted and dreamed about and many which you never achieved.

As I enter the latter part of my life, I often think about my own unanswered prayers. Just like the song, I have learned to thank the Good Lord for the many gifts in my life.

Don’t ever forget to say thanks for the many gifts in yours. It is what makes life worth living in these ever-challenging times.

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