Sep 27
Today’s Truth
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (Exodus 14:15 NIV).
Friend to Friend
I pulled out an old prayer journal and there it was. Written in my own handwriting was a prayer request I had prayed for years. I 
traced the words with my finger and the words blurred as tears threatened.
Just five minutes earlier, I had questioned my husband like a lead investigator.
Are you sure we can do this?
Are we making the right decision?
What about {fill in the blank}?
I peppered him with numerous questions. I wanted to iron out every detail and make certain that this was not just doable, but with no room for error. In the night, when I should have been sleeping, I crunched numbers in my head and went over possibilities.
It was exhausting.
Seeing that prayer request in the journal was a reminder that I had asked God for this very thing. That’s what brought me to tears.
God had graciously answered, but rather than rejoicing, I was fretting.
In today’s passage, Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt and out of slavery. They had been at the mercy of their captors, working unmerciful hours making bricks from straw. It was brutal work. For years, they had prayed for freedom and the answer had finally come! Egypt was behind them, and they were on the way to the Promised Land. The journey was not without obstacles. Pharaoh sent his men after them and they were panicking. They complained and murmured. Their fretting was so incessant that Moses petitioned God on their behalf, and this was God’s response:
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” Exodus 14:15 (NIV)
This may seem direct and to the point, but you must understand. The Israelites were in the midst of a miracle, yet they had been so focused on the obstacles they were missing it. They were blind to the fact that they had been in shackles and were now stepping into freedom.
God didn’t want them to get stuck in the murmuring over the miracle.
As I traced the faded prayer request with my fingers, I thought about all the times I cried out to God for this particular miracle. But even as the answer began to unfold, I became fixated on the obstacles ahead rather than the miracle. The answer God gave the Israelites was mine as well.
Keep moving, Suzie.
Rarely does answered prayer mean that it’s smooth sailing all the way.
We pray for that prodigal child to come home, and they do. Yet there’s work to be done in the relationship.
We pray for God to help us achieve a dream. He does, and it takes work and time.
We pray for a promotion and there’s a learning curve.
You and I have a choice. We can get caught up in the challenges or celebrate what God has already done – and where God is taking us.
For me, it was time to shift my focus. I opened that old journal one more time and wrote “answered” beside my prayer request. Sure, there were challenges ahead, but what an opportunity for God to show me who He is over and over again.
Maybe you are in the midst of answered prayer and it’s not easy; it’s okay to say that. Rarely do miracles come without a faith walk.
Just know you aren’t alone.
God sees what is ahead and is with you every step of the way.
Keep moving.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, I’ve been so focused on the challenges of this answered prayer that I lost sight of what You have already done. Thank You for this unfolding miracle. Thank You for hearing my prayer,
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What is one answered prayer that also brought new challenges in your life?
As that miracle unfolds, consider these questions:
When did I first ask God to answer this prayer?
In what ways is God answering my prayer?
Have I celebrated that?
In what ways will God continue to be with me as that answered prayer unfolds?
Click the comment button and share one thing that you’re praying about today.
More from the Girlfriends
In Suzie’s book, Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He Leads, she shares what it looks like to follow Jesus wherever He leads, whatever He asks, whatever miracle He wants to do in or through us.
Come With Me is a gentle, powerful resource that will help you connect with Jesus all over again, and live your faith right where you live.
Suzie has all kinds of freebies just for you! Download the first chapter of Come With Me free! Also, download a free prayer book and access online Come With Me study videos for your small group or personal study.
© 2021 by Suzanne Eller. All rights reserved.
Praying that I stay faithful in my walk with the Lord
Awesome devotional – yep! Put my big-girl pants on!!
This made me smile, Jakki!
Oh Susie This was just what I needed to read today. We are in the midst of moving ~ letting go of the old and welcoming the new. I have been cranky towards my husband who is doing everything right. Just needed a little reminder that this change is what I have longed for. Have a blessed day.
Isn’t it funny how that can happen to all of us! Praying with you that we’ll turn our face toward gratitude, even in the busy and messy spaces of answered prayers.
Praying that my son and his family will get involved in a church.
Father, lead this family to a healthy, whole community of believers.
Praying for broken family situation for me and also for a friend
Praying with you, Jackie. Praying for healing, hope, support, and encouragement for all of you.
I am praying that my daughter surrender her heart and life to the Lord. That she understands that the void in her cannot be fill with men, things but only the Creator God.
Lord, you love this daughter. Let her feel and know your unconditional love. Meet her right where she is. Hold her close. Speak over her heart. Bring godly men and women into her life that will love her well. You hear our prayers, Lord, and I am grateful for that.
Praying that God will lead me to the church I need to be in that will feed my soul and where my gifts will be utilized.
Praying that God will show you where to go, and that you will not only find community but be community to others. Praying with you!
This may not seem important to many but I have been praying for 6 years to have the back half of our garage filled with cement, it is a dirt floor that is always & damp dirty most of my treasure have ruint over the years because of it, I haven’t had the finances or labor to help me do it but God is working it all out now
My prayer is being answered but not without problems and confusion I was at a point I was going to give up but reading your devotion today showed me I need to move on with it and start Praising the Lord for every step of the way good or bad.
Thank you for being there with us
I love this. There is nothing too small to celebrate. This is big to you so it’s big to me, and it’s big to the Lord who loves you so much. Celebrating with you over this answered prayer.
Two of my dearest friends are battling breast cancer. Praying for complete healing! Thank you for joining me.
Praying for three family members; to have God show up in a miraculous way that can only be explained as a God moment!
Father, thank you for Carol and her love for these family members. You have heard her prayers. You are working in unseen ways and powerfully. Thank you for this miracle that will draw them close to you and that will reveal your name to those who are watching, praying, and hoping.
Father, you hear Krystal’s heart cry. She longs to be faithful just as you are faithful to her. Give her discernment and wisdom. Cover her with grace and mercy. Remind her that your love is patient and kind. If she has stumbled, remind her of the power of getting back up and learning through that mistake. Thank you that your plan for her has not gone away, but remains as she runs after you. Thank you for her courage in sharing this prayer request.
I’m praying for my family that they know the Lord, honor his name. For protection an health as we have had serious health issues this year.
Mother in laws heart stopped. Prayed for healing and health. God healed her after almost a whole month in the hospital. Home now but very hard because she is so weak.
My mother has dementia and can no longer walk. I have to help take care of her. I need to move closer to her and my church to do so. I started praying for a buyer and a place to go. I no longer want to own because of the upkeep but rents are outrageous and in my eyes I can’t afford to rent. I put my condo on the market and it was on for a month before I received an offer on it and of course it was what I wanted. The new owner wants to close on Oct 28th. The devotional is right on time for me. I have my buyer and I need a place to go. I am so focused on what I think I can afford rather than knowing that God is in full control and He already has my place picked out for me. I am not worried but I do not have the peace that I should have either. It is not because of God, it is because of me. Thank you so much for your message. I have to celebrate what He has done and where He is taking me. He knows my needs and He will provide!
Praying to let the holy spirit guide me and help me to stop doing everything in my own strength. I am tired.
Lord, let Diana walk into the rest that you offer all of us. She is tired and can’t do this on her own. Thank you that you will carry her burdens. That you will bring soul rest to her. Breathe over her today, in Jesus’ name.
My daughter has had multiple chronic health issues for all of her adult life. Endometriosis being a main one. She was gifted her now 6 year old daughter by God after an endometrosis excision procedure. She has always wanted to have children. All of her doctors said that she couldn’t have any more children. After 6 years that included grief counseling she and her husband came to grips with that and she was scheduled to have a hysterectomy and endometriosis surgery.
We were at the hospital. (I am her caregiver) She was in her gown. Literally minutes from having her surgery. When her urine test results came back positive for pregnancy!
We were both overwhelmed. We did know whether to laugh or cry. She immediately started contacting all of her doctors because she was on some serious medications. They were all in shock. And a few asked her to consider terminating the pregnancy. Her answer to all of them was NO, GOD blessed me with this child. If He wants to terminate it He will.
I’m super happy to report that she is 6 months pregnant. And due around Christmas. All prenatal tests are good and her baby girl appears healthy. We are all SUPER happy, but are anxious because of her chronic issues. God gave us this miracle and we are praying that He sees this through. Its been one heck of a ride.
Praying that this baby is born healthy and whole, and celebrating with you, Grandma!
Today me and my family are going to have our first pfizer jab and I am nervous about it, I am praying that God will protect us from any short or long term side effects. I have been awake for hours tossing and turning and praying for peace. Thank you for giving me somewhere to say my prayer outloud
Praying with you, Andrea. <3
Today as I read this devotional, I felt like it was meant just for me. Right now my heart and mind are struggling. I have been a registered nurse for 11 years and graduated from a nurse practitioner program the end of 2020. I prayed so hard for a position to open up and one did an hour away from from my family and friends. So in this year, we up rooted from the place we had called home for 30 years and moved. The move, in itself, has been a struggle with one thing after another popping up in the home we purchased. The job, well, that has been a whole different issue and is far from what my heart had desired. And if that was enough to make me wonder “Ok, God what are you doing here?” My husband, daughter, and I all was diagnosed with COVID over the last 2 weeks and I became very sick. I laid in bed and cried thinking I was going to die and that my other children, grandchildren, siblings, and my mom all seemed so far away. And I cried because we do not know anyone here and there was no one I really felt comfortable calling on to get groceries or to call if we needed help. Our sweet realtor who is a Christian came to our rescue, but I still felt like I was imposing on her asking for her to run errands. We, thankfully, seem to be on the mend but now I have a brokenness that only God can fix and I am second guessing everything about this move. Please keep us in your prayers.
So afraid of the what ifs. It’s gotten worse since we moved to the country something always wanted but it’s lonely. My husband still works and I’m alone a lot.
Carole Yost, I will be thinking of you and praying for your daughter and her baby that is on the way! Such a WONDERFUL surprise ~ and it gives me such hope. I’m 45 years old and still praying and waiting for babies… I’m so happy for your family – this is just wonderful!