Sarah's Prayer

Sarah, a hygienist, told me this great story as I was waiting for the treatment in Dr. John’s office. She was anxious for the application of the new job in Dr. John’s dental office. She was commuting to her current job as a teacher for several years. She got the job as she couldn’t find a hygienist job as after graduation she had to get a job. Under the pressure of the bills, she took a chance to teach in a school. She and her husband chose the town as it is in the middle between their jobs. For the several years she worked as a teacher, which was not best fit for her major, commuting almost an hour everyday, she burned out. 

Matt, her husband, was a devout man. Sarah, born and raised in a Christian family though, was not so. She went to the church with Matt but she didn’t feel great about that. She prayed every night and before every meal but she never thought it serious as it might work in her life. She could have confessed faith with mouth but unfortunately not from her heart. 

As she got tired in working at the school, she wanted to work as a hygienist. So she from time to time looked for a job opportunities in the near towns. As they live in a rural area in Tennessee, for the last several years she didn’t meet any good luck in that regard. However, last summer, at last, an opportunity was opened. And that it was in the town she lives in. It was Dr. John’s office. The office was known in the area that it was great to work there. Dr. John was a devout Christian and the work time in his office was shorter than normal. Dr. John was very much focused on family—not only his family but also his staffs’. He shortened the office hours on Wednesdays and Fridays that all the staffs might spend time more with their families. Sarah, as she burned out, really really wanted the job.

Sarah, having applied for it, became anxious. She couldn’t focus on her everyday life. Yet, she didn’t know what to do with herself and how to control herself in the situation. Thankfully Matt was patient with her as she was so anxious. He was very sorry about her being so anxious but he didn’t do anything to her hastily. As the interview came closer Sarah became more nervous and upset. She couldn’t hold herself in mind and was almost about to lose herself. Of course, she prayed and confessed faith in God. But it didn’t help her calm herself down to normal.

It was a couple of days before the interview. Sarah got up very early morning and was making noises in anxiety. In that morning, as they ate breakfast, Matt said to her something, which changed her life. He said, “Honey, I know you are praying but you have to pray with faith.” Sarah looked at him in the face, because she didn’t get what he was talking about. She was almost going to say out loud into his face, “I HAVE faith and I AM praying.” Matt, however, continued with smile and in gentle voice as always, saying, “I mean, if you pray in faith, you should be able to believe that your prayer is already come true. You know faith is ‘the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen’.” 

Sarah felt like she got a big blow in her head. She was praying all the time but she never thought like what Matt told her. She didn’t believe she had to pray with such faith and could believe her prayer was already come true. She realized that she was not believing as she should as she prayed. She understood why she was so nervous and anxious for the job interview even though she didn’t pass any day without prayer for it. 

She got in the car to go to work. While she was driving, so many things flashed back, showing her that she didn’t have ‘true’ faith in her prayers thus far. It made her repent deeply before God. She couldn’t help crying because of her arrogance and stupidity. Then she began praying to God with all her heart truly believing that He is the merciful and almighty God the Father. Also she prayed for her situation and that with faith that He would do the best for her as He knew what was the best for her. She could then believe that He would lead her into the best for her regardless of whether or not the best would be what she wanted. She became calm—calmer than ever before. Peace filled her heart and joy overflowed from the heart. Her heart had no worries but filled with faith.