By Ben Newman
I want to share a lesson I learned years ago about how prayers are answered.
I was 14 years old and embarking on my first high adventure, a 50 mile hike in the Sawtooth Range in Idaho. I was so excited! All my best friends were in the group and we had done a few overnight backpacking trips to prepare. We had a ton of fun and I felt perfectly confident that this would be a similar experience. I ran into two problems though. First, I hadn’t ever packed a week’s worth of food and gear in my backpack before. I was a skinny little guy back then and the extra weight made a big difference. Second, those mountains got their name because they shoot up steeply and descend steeply, giving them the appearance of a saw blade. The first day’s hike was making our way into the mountain range, which meant a punishing uphill hike all day.
By the afternoon I was suffering. My friends were all up ahead and I was stuck back with the slow group which was myself and the adult leaders. Not the fun experience I had envisioned. I plodded along, my legs burning and my shoulders sore, and started counting my steps. I would force myself to take 100 steps before stopping to rest again. 100 steps is actually not much progress when you have almost 50 miles to go and I knew I would need to eventually pick up the pace. After a few hours of this I was ready to give up. As I contemplated the miserable week in store for me, I began to pray fervently in my heart. I wasn’t even daring to pray that I would have a good time, just that I would survive and be able to finish the hike. I didn’t feel any miraculous strength like I had hoped, but I stood back up to try again.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps running down the mountain toward me. My friends burst into view, somehow full of energy, running back toward me without their packs. They were yelling about how they’d reached the top and we would be there soon. They could tell I was suffering so they grabbed various heavy things out of my pack. I normally would have been quite embarrassed by that but I was too miserable to care. We all set off toward the top while the lighter pack and their contagious energy made the rest of the way bearable. The crest of the trail was above the treeline so I was met with an unencumbered view of the valley on the other side. It was a magically beautiful sight and I understood why my friends suddenly had that burst of adrenaline. Aside from the sense of accomplishment, we could see the lake we would be camping at and it was mercifully all downhill to get there.
That night we redistributed some of the group gear I had been carrying. I was now comfortable enough to feel embarrassed and started to feel sad that my prayer for strength hadn’t been answered. However, as soon as my thoughts wandered there I was met with an immediate competing thought that touched my heart in such a way that I know it was from the Spirit. Your friends were your answer.
My lighter pack got progressively lighter as I ate food throughout the week. I suppose I also got somewhat used to the suffering on the many subsequent uphill climbs. In any case, I actually did end up having a good time on that trip. More importantly, I learned the valuable lesson that other people are often the answer to our prayers. Conversely, I realized that I might be an answer to someone else’s prayer. Now I strive to give and graciously receive Christ-like service. I resist second guessing when I have good intentions for fear of offense or overstepping. We never realize when we might be an answer to someone’s prayer. Our Creator certainly could answer prayers with direct miracles, but it is wonderful that we’re given the opportunity to be the instruments in His hands. In doing so, perhaps those around us can sometimes receive that same revelation: Your friends were your answer.
Penny Creek Ward Friends 