Article April 30, 2007 Issue

Clearing the path with prayer

BY JOAN OLYNYK

My husband and I had planned a 13-day walking trip across England, and on this particular day, we'd set out in a light rain to hike to the opposite side of a mountain—normally a five-hour trek.

But after several hours of hiking, the rain increased to a cold downpour, accompanied by fog and wind. Small becks, or streams, began to overflow, raging with huge amounts of water. Paths normally visible were now shrouded in mist and fog, and our maps and compass were of little use. But we'd gone too far to turn back, and it became clear that we would have to find our way to the other side.

As the conditions worsened, I knew I had to address my growing fear through prayer, with the conviction that God was guiding us. I wanted to be able to express the clarity and wisdom to follow the right path. Prior to the trip, I'd been doing an in-depth study of the Sermon on the Mount, and had been pondering Jesus' comments: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matt. 7:7, 8). To me, this meant that when we're persistent with our prayers, we can expect that God will answer them—and that seeking and finding go hand in hand.

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