Did you know you can change God’s mind through prayer? Sure, He has a perfect plan for your life, but if you think you have a better idea, sometimes He’ll let you have your way. If this information is something you’ve never heard before, here’s how I changed God’s mind..
I was in my late 20’s and life was more frustrating than I can express. Everyone around me was getting married and having babies, but none of the plans I’d made worked out. I constantly wondered what was wrong with me.
I finally dated a guy who’d worn me down by relentless pursuit, and we’d been together for close to a year. We weren’t yet engaged, but we thought this was a good idea to go to premarital counseling because that way we’d know if there was a problem. We figured it’d be much easier to break up before we got engaged if we found we weren’t compatible. (Bad decision.)
Since we were in pre-marriage counseling, I’d started making plans for marriage and even purchased a wedding dress. It hung on the door of my home office, mocking me one night as I realized this guy wasn’t going to propose. Although he’d pursued me so hard, once he had my heart, he no longer valued the gift.
I laid on the floor on my face, thinking of the way Jacob had wrestled with the Lord all night until God agreed to bless him. I didn’t have an angel to wrestle with, but I wept with all my might. I begged God to change His mind and please let this man ask me to marry him. The humiliation of going to pre-marriage counseling and buying a wedding dress to never even get engaged was more than I could handle.
Refusing to get up or quit praying until God agreed with my plan, I lost track of time. The carpet was wet with my tears when I finally felt the release of God. He said, “Okay, I’ll give you what you want, but this is not my perfect plan for you. This will make your life hard.”
I didn’t care. Satisfied that He’d said yes and my plan was good enough for me, I got up and went to bed. I did get that engagement ring and plan a wedding, but my unenthusiastic groom broke my heart over and over again. It was a disaster that shattered me. I could write a whole book about that terrible situation, but who would want to read such a sad tale?
I’d been so persistent, insisting He do things my way, that God allowed it.
What I could’ve been on that carpet praying about was His perfect will. I could’ve begged Him to give me contentment until the time came for the plan He had for me to be fulfilled. I could’ve asked Him to supernaturally change my heart to long for Him more than I longed for assurance from a man that I was worthy of love.
Society told me I needed to be married and having children by my age, and rather than look to God for my identity and fulfillment, I tried to fit into a mold I wasn’t made to fill. Devastation was the result.
So, yes, you can pray and ask God to change His mind. You can ask Him to give you the things you think you must have, and He might agree to do it. The question is, at what cost?
There’s something I want more than anything right now, and it seems to me that it’s long past time for Him to do it. I called a meeting with the Lord a few months ago over it. I held nothing back, reminding Him of everything I’d done to serve Him. Through tears, I made my case and told Him, “It is time. You’ve made me wait long enough.”
My loving Heavenly Father responded so graciously. Because over the years since the time of my story I've learned to listen to His voice and not talk at Him, He was able to share His heart with me. He told me He would let me have my way if I insisted, but He asked me to give Him a specific length of time He still wants me to wait for His perfect will in this situation. He gave me some strategy for this time period, too. He explained what the wait will do to help me.
Although it wasn't what I wanted to hear, I accepted it. I knew I’d heard His voice, and I understand how hard it makes life when I insist on my own way. God’s way is ALWAYS better than my own, even when it’s hard to accept.
When life seems so hard to understand and you’re pretty sure the plans you have for your own life are better than God’s, take a deep breath. Use your prayer time to ask Him what His perfect will for you is. Ask Him to give you the courage and strength to follow HIS plans rather than insisting on your own. Then, LISTEN.
God wants to give you good gifts. Stop worrying about what our culture says you should or shouldn’t do at this time in your life, stop trying to fit yourself into a mold you were never meant to conform to, and submit your will to His perfection. You will never regret it.
Whatever it is you think must change, take a step back. Consider what other wild prayer you could pray instead. Could you ask God to change your heart to want what He wants? Could you ask God to heal broken relationships that seem impossibly beyond repair? Even if it feels wildly impossible, ask Him. Give Him a chance to answer those prayers, rather than asking Him to allow something outside of His perfect will for your life. See if He won't do it.
Coaching is a great way to work through questions like this one, especially if you feel stuck. If you can't even think of what other questions to ask, I can help you work through your challenges and get you over the hurdles. Send me an email today to get started.
Love,
Kimberly
