Praying Believers, Doubting Hearts
Scripture: Acts 12:5-16 (NASB95)
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God... When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel." But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
Cowboy Wisdom
Now here's something that'll make you scratch your head. These believers had gathered together for one purpose—to pray earnestly for Peter's release. And when God answered their prayers in spectacular fashion, busting Peter out of that jailhouse, they called poor Rhoda crazy for saying Peter was at the door. It's like praying for rain during a drought and then refusing to believe it when the clouds roll in. They were so shocked by God's answer that they couldn't recognize it when it came knocking.
Sometimes we Christians don't do everything as sensibly as we should—we get about as mixed up as anybody else. We pray like we believe God can move mountains, but when He actually does it, we're surprised as a greenhorn at his first roundup. These folks had been praying fervently—that means they were serious about it, pouring their hearts out—but they just couldn't imagine God would answer their prayers this way. An angel breaking Peter out of prison? That seemed too good to be true.
But here's the lesson we need to rope and hold onto: God is bigger than our expectations—bigger than we can imagine. He's not limited by what we think is possible or reasonable. When we come to Him in prayer, we ought to expect Him to answer—and not be shocked when He does. These believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, praying earnestly, and still struggled with doubt when the answer showed up. Makes you wonder how often we do the same thing.
Questions for Reflection
Have you ever prayed earnestly but refused to believe the answer when it came?
What does your response to answered prayer reveal about your faith?
Are you limiting God by your small expectations?
Prayer Focus
Confess any doubt or unbelief that hinders your prayer life. Ask God to increase your faith and help you truly expect Him to answer. Pray for a deeper trust in God's power and willingness to work miraculously.
