You’ve been taking care of a loved one who's been sick for a while now. You must be physically exhausted, staying up late at night to watch her and making sure she’s okay. Mentally, you’re probably spent just trying to be understanding and not let her sarcasm get to you. It also requires a lot of effort to put up a brave front to cover up your anxiety so as not to worry others; this is wearing you out too. You can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you don’t even know if there's one. As you sat down and prayed, Jesus whispered, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted (John 15:7).” So, you took a deep breath and consciously felt the life that entered you as you inhaled. Without assigning words to how you felt, you experienced a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of life that allowed you to breathe. As you exhaled, you felt the anxiety and the weight of the world leave your body through your nostrils. You then decided to keep trusting God even if the future of your loved one is uncertain. You continued to ask God for help. You continued to seek God’s comforting presence. You kept knocking on the door to God’s heart. The Holy Spirit brought forth to your mind Jesus’s words when He said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).” You kept those words in your heart and accepted His invitation.
Through all the pain you endured as you watched your loved one struggle with her illness, you remained in God and His words remained in you. You are confident that God will keep His promise to grant you whatever you ask for. But what really do you want to ask God for? I'm sure you want your loved one healed, so you can enjoy the good old days with her again, don’t you? As you worked through your doubts and uncertainties in your mind, you've come to the point where you acknowledged God’s generosity towards you. He gave you the gift of life; something we take for granted when we are feeling well. You became fully aware that you were alive when you consciously took that breath as you inhaled. Unlike your loved one, you were able to take that breath without difficulty. You were grateful to be blessed like this despite the times you recalled when you were less than lovable and times when you strayed from the path God wanted you to take. Because God first loved you unconditionally, you trusted Him. You came to know about His character through His words from the scriptures. You know that he is all-knowing and all-powerful. You know He is faithful and keeps His promises. So, you decided to let God be God, and let His perfect will be done, not yours. All you wanted was your loved one to be at peace no matter what, to be comforted, and to feel the loving presence of God and not feel alone. It didn’t really matter to you how God will do it, as long as He makes them happen. You asked God to give you strength and courage as you answer His call to minister to your loved one. You asked God to bless you with quality time with her and make memories that you can cherish for the rest of your life. You asked God to give you enough faith to be able to keep trusting Him. As you asked for all these specific things, it became clear to you what you really wanted from God.
You opened your eyes and looked at your loved one. She is still sick, but she seems to be at peace. She is still weak, but she seems comfortable. She is lying alone in bed, but you are right there beside her. You are very tired, but you are still able to attend to her needs. You are anxious, but you still have the presence of mind to watch her. You are not able to go to work, but you are grateful you have the opportunity to spend solo time with her. Your family and friends know what you’ve been through. They’re in awe at how you were able to keep everything together. Based on that alone, it seems to me that God must have granted all that you had asked for.