Have you ever prayed for something and been disappointed with the result?

About three weeks ago I sent a short story to a mystery magazine. I knew it needed to be revised, but I didn’t want to invest any additional time to the project. So I sent it off and prayed that an editor would find my story interesting enough to help with the edits.

I think you can guess what happened next. My story was rejected and I felt dejected. I stewed about this for about two hours, asking God why? Didn’t He want me to be successful? Didn’t He give me the desire to write?

And then it hit me like a sledgehammer. I hadn’t given my best, so why should I expect God to give me his best?  Just because I know He has plans for me and wants to give me my hearts desire doesn’t mean I can be a slacker.

As God’s daughter, there is a higher expectation for me. Not only should I be a light in the world, but I should be a shining example of integrity and character.

I wanted the reward without doing my part. I was disappointed in myself. My disappointment with God eventually landed where it should–with me. Can anyone relate?