Expecting Answers

I was reading a devotional today and it weighed heavy on my heart as I read it because it stepped on my toes a little.  Basically this is what it said in a nut shell.

"An essential part of faith is expectancy-believing God to the point that we eagerly anticipate His answers to our prayers. The depth of our relationship with God is always directly proportionate to the amount to trust or faith we have in Him. We shouldn't be astonished when He answers our prayers; we should be ashamed when we don't expect Him to do so.  Prayer without faith in empty. Expect an answer, and He will astonish you."

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It made me stop and think, there are so many times in the day that I stop and talk to God, to pray and ask Him for something, sometimes it is forgiveness, or protection over my children or husband, or healing for a family member or friend or whatever it might be, but how many times do I go before the throne, HOPING but maybe if I am truthful not fully believing or trusting that GOD has heard and will answer by prayer? 
The bible tells us if we have the faith of a mustard seed-that is really tiny-I own a charm that with a real mustard seed in it with the scripture of Matthew on the other side daily to remind me that if I only have the faith of that tiny seed I could see mountains in my life moved!!  It is so tiny that some days I sit and just stare at it and I am amazed that God would use that to compare what amount of faith we have to have to that.  Then it makes me think-"How little faith I have some days-because that little seed is almost too tiny to see and yet He tells us that is all we have to have to see miraculous things happen in our lives."


I know that God always answers my prayers, sometimes the answer is just a "No" or a "Wait and See" instead of the answer I thought was best.  I also know He knows and sees the bigger picture, how all the pieces to the puzzle fit together and what the final picture will look like, and I don't. I wonder if sometimes He also allows me to wait or tells me no to things because I haven't approached the throne truly believing that He will answer my pray, totally allowing HIM to be in control, and knowing however my prayer is answered that it is the right, true, and perfect answer.


My prayer today is that I would boldly approach the throne,  having the faith the size of a mustard seed, believing with all my heart that He hears my every prayer and expecting Him to answer them, and knowing that His ways are higher than mine and His plans so much greater for my life than I could ever imagine.


On His Pathway-