Has someone repeatedly come to your mind these past few days? Was there something that happened this past month that you need to forgive or be forgiven for? Did you forget someone or something during the Christmas rush? It isn’t too late.

Most of us have said something wrong to someone. Most of us have forgotten what we should have remembered. Most of us know people who are overly sensitive about the times we are under-attentive. Relationships will always require more work and a lot more sensitivity than what comes naturally.

We expect people to let us down at times, and they should expect that we will do the same. Most of us can forgive others their mistakes, especially when we consider our own. But what about those times when we feel like the Lord has let us down? How do we continue to pray to God when we feel like he hasn’t been listening?

Paul wrote about his personal struggles in several of his letters. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about his “thorn in the flesh.” Paul had missionary work to accomplish. Paul had letters to write and sermons to preach. Yet, something in his life made it difficult for him to fulfill his calling. He had prayed, asking God to take it away so his life would be easier. But God didn’t do what Paul had asked. By the time Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians, he had discerned God’s answer to his prayer. 

God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” And Paul wrote, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” God essentially told Paul, “You don’t have what you want, but you have what you need so that you will allow my power to be your strength and your sufficiency.” God does answer our prayers, but he answers them for our eternal good. His priority is our eternal reward, which is sometimes at the expense of our earthly comfort.

Wisdom is understanding that the gift of Jesus is our treasure. Wisdom is accepting our treasure is sufficient for today, even when some answers to prayer aren’t fully known until heaven.