When I was growing up, there was a weekly television series called “Father Knows Best.” Every week, the mother and kids would deal with a problem. They would wrestle with a solution and then the father would come home from work. He would listen to the problem and then, in his wisdom, would give them a solution. Whether they liked it or understood the answer, the family would follow the father’s advice and things would work out. Lately, the title of this sitcom has been in my mind.
I’ve been thinking about all the prayers I prayed as a teenager. They consisted of a lot of desires; the boys I thought I wanted to marry, where I thought I wanted to go to school, where I wanted to live, etc.; typical teenage girl hopes and dreams. Looking back, I am so thankful that my Heavenly Father did not answer those prayers with a “yes.” I certainly didn’t know what I was really asking for but He did. You see, my Heavenly Father really did know best all those years ago.
As I think through the decades of unanswered prayers, I wonder why there were so many “no” answers. I thought that what I was praying for was a good thing for my life or for the lives of others but so many of my requests were not answered the way I wanted them to. People divorced, died and lost their homes. Businesses were lost and loved ones went through a lot of suffering. I can’t even comprehend why my prayers were not answered and yet by faith I must trust that my Heavenly Father knew best.
My desire would always be to be spared suffering, for myself and those I pray for. In my quest of faith, I must admit that I don’t understand my Father’s allowance of suffering in this world. Why doesn’t he just wave a magic wand and make everything better? I have no answers for any of these questions. I do know a few things though.
I know I serve a good and loving God. I know that I live in a fallen world where there is suffering as a result of man’s sin. I know that this earth and this life are temporary and that there is an eternal life to come. I freely admit my lack of understanding but I do trust Him because after all, I believe that my Heavenly Father knows best.
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Valerie Cullers 
Amen! He does know best!! Jerm. 29:11 – He has the best plans for us!! I, too, am so grateful for all the prayers He answered with His wisdom, not my want or will!! Our Father really does know best!! 🙂
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Yes…so true!!!!
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Wonderful post! Our suffering can be offered as a sacrifice, thought of as a purification (the refiner’s fire), or the result of our own sinful actions. No matter how we think about it, God does allow suffering but we never suffer alone. He is always there to comfort us. (sort of like a mother who sits with us when we are sick and holds our hair out of the way when we vomit)….
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So true…thanks!
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You are blessed to be a part of the work of Salvation.God has chosen some special people on this earth to go through mortification and little sufferings so that he can expand his team of salvation.He enjoys your participation in his passion and sufferings.So I assume that you are also a suffering soul a true gift like the offering and sacrifice of Calvary.God bless.Take care.🙏😊🌹
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Thank you for your insightful thoughts!! Blessings to you, Francis!
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Amen.My pleasure.🙏😊🌹
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
HE DOTH! 😀
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Thank you so much!
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😀
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My dad once preached a sermon about prayer along these lines titled “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love.”
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Wish I could have heard him preach….just once!
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He was very good at it. His sermons were tightly constructed with a clear beginning, middle, and end–and he made a point of adhering to a strict time limit.
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Wow! You were so blessed to grow up with such a man as he was!
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I know I am. I didn’t realize until I went out into the cold, cruel world as an eighteen-year-old. I thought all Episcopal priests were like him. Rude awakening. They’re not. I miss him every day,
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💖💖💖💖
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It is because unlike the TV show you referenced, life does not get resolved in the half hour time slot. We might not know until we get to the other side. Only sometimes, I wish there were more commercial breaks in real life.
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Yes!!! So True! 💖
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