be careful what you pray for

we tend to say "be careful what you pray for." we say "i prayed for patience and boy did God give me an opportunity to gain it."

but i've been thinking about that lately. and i would like to propose that perhaps there are times when, instead of it being our idea to pray for a weakness or an area we want to improve or grow it, but rather that God, knowing a situation or challenge will be coming our way, draws us in to pray for His help in advance.

we don't know what's on the horizon. but He does. perhaps He wants to protect us and care for us and guide us by bringing us to our knees to ask for a fruit of His spirit He knows we are going to need to be exercising soon.

an interesting take on prayer when we've grown accustomed to assuming God waits for us to ask for something before He gives it to us. but He didn't wait to send His son until we asked for Him. no, He knew ahead of time we needed Him, and He sent Him. some of us still haven't asked for Him, but it didn't stop Him from paving the way for that prayer to be answered before we have prayed it.

by the same token why wouldn't He begin to prompt us to pray for a strength only He knows we are going to need down the road? we can act on that prompt or we can not. i love that He gives us that choice. but who's to say He doesn't prompt or... knock?

i think if God knows we are going to encounter a situation where we are going to need patience to pass through it, and He prompts us to pray for it, we had best pay attention and be praying for it. if He in His foreknowledge prompts us, we in our barely-focused-hindsight would be foolish to ignore it.

i say "be careful what you don't pray for."