Missing the Answered Prayer

I often miss the answer to my prayers.  Yesterday it nearly happened again.  Sharing the post on Christ’s characteristic of Tender-heartedness, I tweeted:

May our hearts break for the same things that make Jesus weep. ‪#‎sinkills‬ ‪#‎lovelife‬ https://t.co/YtzJOeuQ84 https://t.co/aJONCkLxWF

As the day closed out, I was weary and a little edgier than usual.  Waking up, that same unsettled sadness felt like a cloak over my heart and mind.  There was nothing wrong; I had no significant crises, blatant sins or offenses from or to another.  Yet, the joy and peace that typically settles me was distant.  As I spent time with Jesus, it suddenly dawned on me what I had prayed:  break my heart for what breaks yours.  That cloak that felt heavy transformed into a sharing in the sufferings of my Savior.

When I realized that it was the heart of Jesus I was feeling, it all began to make sense.  I asked the Holy Spirit to show me what had pierced my heart yesterday that brought the pain.  I asked Him, “What was it that broke YOUR heart?”

Here is what I heard:

• “Me” focus that is self-righteous…isolating…self-pitying…self-excusing…blind to the larger issues.
• “You” focus that demeans…dismisses…judges…elevates others.
• Shallow promises that are not honored.
• Half-hearted desires for better things.
• Taking responsibility for what is not ours…perhaps to take credit we do not deserve.

I am not sure how I forget that praying is dangerous.  God answers our prayers, but we must follow his earthly mother’s example and treasure things in our heart.  May our prayer today be to  bring pleasure to the soul of our Savior!