Difficult situations can push us to our knees in prayer, pleading to God for relief. Yet how many times does God answer that prayer in a way we did not expect or desire? I wondered this about Ananias in Acts 9.
I could see him, like other followers of Jesus at the time, praying to God to stop Saul from persecuting Christians. Perhaps Ananias was even praying for relief from Saul when God told him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying (11).”
Ananias’ answer is understandable: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name (13-14).” I would have the same type of response, “You want me to be part of your answer to my prayer?”
Isn’t that like us sometimes? We pray to God with an idea of how he might answer our prayer, or to just give us relief and take away the thing causing us pain. However, God’s answer to our prayers is always the better option even if we can’t understand why. At that moment, Ananias could not see how Saul would bring word of Jesus to the Gentiles and write so much of the New Testament.
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” – Acts 9:15-16, NASB
140 Character Christian 
Yes. Thank you. Sometimes God’s answer, the best answer, is not the one we thought we wanted when we were praying. I just had an example and realisation of that today. Thank you.
May we learn to wait on God and trust Him more each day. Blessings.
It is just like us to try and explain to God why our ideas are better than his. Little by little we learn. I’m thankful He is so patient with us.
Praise God for His love and grace. Thanks for the comment. Blessings.