Email 
Bookmark 
Print God Does Indeed Answer Prayer
by Gloria Wooldridge
We are unable to have dogs or cats due to allergies, so our eight-year-old daughter, Jenny, has a miniature fish named Willie. Willie joined our household about a year ago. Jenny has proven very loyal and capable and has taken very good care of the little striped fellow. She reads a page or two of a story book to him every night before she gets into bed, and each morning she greets and feeds her fish. I have never had to remind her. Obviously, this fish is very important to her.
A few months ago, as Jenny passed the fish bowl, she noticed that Willie was lying on his side amidst the colorful rocks. Jenny ran to me, crying that there was something wrong with Willie. I went in and watched Willie struggling and then explained to her that most likely, Willie would die.
I expected that she would be upset, but the degree of hurt she displayed was a surprise to me. She was not just upset; she was brokenhearted. Jenny had experienced death the previous year with the loss of her beloved grandfather. She had already lost the childlike innocence of "God fixing everything to our satisfaction" and she knew that things don't always work out the way you wanted.
Watching her, I was upset and angry at myself for allowing the fish into our home. When I purchased the fish for her, the thought crossed my mind that fish did not live for a long time, but I ignored the thought and slid my money across the counter in exchange for one fish complete with all of the trimmings. (Bowl, food, rocks and plant life.)
As Willie lay on his side, barely moving, I heard a little voice beside me say, "Mommy, he can't die, please, please mommy, do something." I had no resources to doctor the fish. The only thing I knew to do was to take my child’s hand in mine and place my free hand on the dish and pray. "Heavenly Father, You know the pain in this little girl’s heart and I pray now in the name of Jesus, that you would heal Willie. Please, God. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
Both of us ended our prayer with tears in our eyes. We waited and watched.
How God works is beyond my understanding and why He would extend the life of a little-bit-of-a-thing fish is also beyond me...maybe it was to show a little girl a ray of hope after such a time of pain. Maybe it was to start the restoration process of something we had all lost.
As we watched, Willie lifted up off of his side and started to swim vigorously about. He has not stopped since. He is our miracle fish. Oh, I know that many people would say that God is too big and too busy to care for a little fish. But I know better. I choose to believe that God heard our prayer and He simply answered it. Why did He answer at this time when we had prayed earnestly for the healing of this girl's granddad? I don’t know. I have no answers except that I know and trust the One who does know.
This experience has deepened the lesson in my heart that we need to depend on God all the time. With the big things, and yes, especially with the little things. Ultimately, God knows what is best for each one of us. In that alone we can rest. It is our responsibility to walk daily with God and do what we are called to do and trust Him with the results.
Yes, I am realistic and I do know that the day will come when Willie will no longer be with us. But when it is all said and done, I know that our daughter will carry a memory into adulthood of God demonstrating His power in a most unusual way. She will also know (that she knows!) that God does indeed answer prayer.
Father, thank You for hearing our prayers, big and small. Help us to come boldly before Your throne of grace. Remind us to take opportunities to share with others how You've answered our prayers.
~ Gloria Wooldridge resides in Atlantic Canada with her husband and two children. She works part-time and is involved in building and facilitating small group ministry for women in her local church.
Related Article
Frustrated With Prayer?
Adorable Kids' Prayers
