When God answers our prayer, discernment is necessary in determining what His actual will and purpose was in responding to our request. Consider the needy fellow, who asks God to provide him with some sort of shelter for the approaching winter. As the man walked along prayerful in thought, he came upon a construction site. Noticing the pile of scrap bits and pieces which had been toss aside, the anxious believer sought out the site foreman, told the supervisor of his plight, and asked permission to gather the waste material. Hoping that with this material, he could piece together a small structure before the pending cold weather’s arrival. The foreman felt pity for the stranger and granted the man’s request. The generous foreman even offered to lend the stranger, tools necessary for building the structure.
With this gift, the thankful believer gathered a bundle of scrap wood, bent nails, and other discarded building items, placed them into a borrowed wheelbarrow, and hurried off to construct a small lean-to on an adjacent wooded lot. As he went about his task, he cheerfully sang praises to God – for His God was an awesome God; a God who provided for His people. When the man completed his structure, he held the scrap from his building effort, in reserve, to burn in the small fire pit which he constructed near his shelter.
The man was very thankful. For in his eyes, the Lord had surely blessed him and answered his pray, just as he had asked. And most believers would agree; shouting, “Halleluiah! Thank you, Jesus! Amen!”
But if this believer had been more discernful with what God had provided him; he might have seen a different ending for his story – for God really has a much bigger plan for our life – and the way we use His blessings.