Everyday Hero #13

 September 25, 2022

“Be careful what you pray for, kids; you might just get it.” She stood before us, a diminuative little woman with a very serious look on her face. The story she then told us mirrored her countenance. 

She had been praying, and in her prayers said, “Lord that if there is anything coming between you and me, please take it away.” That sounds like a pretty ordinary prayer from someone serious about their relationship with God, but she continued addressing us kids. “I loved my husband so very much, and God took me seriously. Shortly after praying that prayer, my husband had a heart attack, and died.” She paused. “Be careful what you pray for; God might just give you what you ask.”

Over the years, I’ve told this story to many people, and the reaction is usually one of disbelief or outrage: “God wouldn’t do that!” the assure me. People are free to believe what they want, but Mrs. Cantrall, mother of my best friend at the time, was unmoved by such arguments. She knew what she prayed, and urged us to pray carefully.

I’ve had times I prayed for something and God answered in ways I had not expected. I’ve prayed that God would keep me faithful, and he gave me trials in which I had a choice to follow or abandon him. I’ve prayed for wisdom, and God gave me confusing and contradicting situations. I’ve prayed for God to make me more compassionate, and he gave me difficult people to learn to love.

I’ve never been bold enough to pray Mrs. Cantrall’s prayer, but I’ve also never forgotten it. I don’t want anything to come between God and myself, but instead of asking God to remove whatever might be there, I’ve asked him to reveal it to me so I could make the choice myself. Mrs. Cantrall has long since gone to meet her Lord, and her husband also, who in eternity will no more have the potential of standing between her and Jesus. Mrs. Cantrall, your courage and boldness in prayer make you my Everyday Hero #13.