If I were to ask you what scripture you would pick as your favorite regarding the love that God has for you, which one would first come to mind? If you don’t immediately think of one, I encourage you to contemplate and select one that stands out to you, one that you could bring into your mind often to remind you of Heavenly Father’s great love for you.
One that might not come readily to mind is a scripture that assures us that God answers our prayers, a wonderful way of showing His love for us: “Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.” (Moroni 7:26)
Elder J Devyn Cornish, who presided at our recent Stake Conference, told his own story of answered prayer. It might be my all-time favorite on this topic. I’m going to ask you to please read that one on your own or with your family.
I would like to tell you of a testimony-building answer to one of my own prayers. My wife and I had just been married a few years. We had a family goal to allow Barb to stay at home with our growing family, but I would need a considerable raise to allow that to happen. I had been praying for a few years that the door might be opened for Barb, who was employed part-time, to be able to stay at home to raise our children.
This desire was based on a message from President Ezra Taft Benson, the prophet at that time. I had done some phone interviews in locations such as Milwaukee and Seattle but neither of us had family near those areas and they did not work out. Then a trip to visit Barb’s parents in Avon Lake fell into our laps and I asked my recruiter to check around the Cleveland area, thinking I would maybe win some points for effort with Barb’s family. Sure enough, a company in Westfield Center, Ohio, was interested in meeting with me. To make a long story short, the interviews went well, the job was offered and I began to pray to God to see if this was the right step for us to take. Shortly after beginning my prayer in earnest, wondering if this is something that we should do, I had this thought come into my mind as if a voice was talking to me. It simply said in a loving manner, “How could I have answered your prayers any better than I just did?” I was initially taken aback but immediately acknowledged that those prayers over the previous few years could not have been answered any better. Thirty-one years later I am still grateful for that answered prayer and for the testimony I gained that God listens to us and answers our heartfelt prayers.
Why does God answer our prayers? Maybe the main reason is simply because He loves us and wants to bless us. If it’s important to us, it’s important to him because He loves us. I have a personal testimony of this truth and I encourage us all to continue in prayer to our Father in Heaven with faith that He will bless us because of His love for us.
Akron Ohio Stake News 