Do you sometimes feel like God doesn’t hear your prayers?

No, this isn’t an article about “God hears your prayers but He just isn’t answering” or whatever. This is a personal testimony, and an epiphany reminder of sorts. Particularly in this Advent season, that while life may not always be gifts and good cheer, there is always a reason why life isn’t always cheery from our perspective. We are all after all, short sighted. God however, has perfect sight of the present and future, as well as a perfect memory of history.

Eli and I had just spent an evening in adoration with fellow young Catholics at the cozy church of St Joseph’s in Port Moody. We renewed our relationship with Christ again and were very joyful. Upon returning to the car, we realized we were out of gas! I pleaded with Jesus to please just let us start the car to get to the nearest gas station. Nothing.

Oh God, how can this be? We are still in Your driveway and didn’t we just have a good time together in Your House?

Quick GPS search showed nearest gas station was a Petrol Canada three blocks away. Eli asked that I wait at the church but I insisted on walking with him. Yes, I am clingy. But more so because it was dark and cold, and I refuse to let my man go at it alone. Either we do it together or none of us move. I actually joked that even if he might end up having to carry me (and my high heeled boots), I was making this hike with him.

It didn’t take us long to get to the main road and hallelujah! A Chevron across the street! Praise God!

But no, the adventure doesn’t just end like that!

Unfortunately due to some fire safety ruling, gas stations are only allowed to sell gasoline in designated jars, and boy do they take advantage of that! An empty jar costs $13 before taxes. Apparently they used to lend those jars out but inconsiderate people (thieves!) never returned them. I think gas stations should still offer them for free, but with a $50 deposit. This way, people will make the trip back because they want their $50 back as opposed to spending $13++ for something they hopefully never need again. And innocent people like us will have a chance at getting the much needed fuel!

While we stepped aside contemplating our fate (Eli was calling Petrol Canada enquiring about their loaner jars), I overheard another customer telling the attendant that he had ran out of gas and needs to put $5 worth of gas into a jar. Making sure it was a legal jar, the guy released the fuel to said customer. I quickly whispered to Eli what I had heard, and Eli worked his charm.

Eli paid for the gas and the good Samaritan brought the gas to our car in the legal jar!

Initially I didn’t understand why God couldn’t just give us that jumpstart and let us crawl those two minutes to the gas station. If God can hear our prayers when we are constipated in the bathroom, then surely He could hear our cries when we were right there at His House!

Yet Eli and I had to take that walk in freezing temperatures. WHY? Because we have to learn to stand by each other through thick and thin, heat waves and freezing temperatures. We also have to remember to fill up the gas tank and not wait till the last drop evaporates.

See, God did not forsake us. There is NO SUCH THING as “mere coincidence”. If God had forsaken us (or does not exist), then how is it that at our very moment of need, a stranger walks into the same gas station and has the solution to our problem? And that I happen to hear his conversation? And that the man was kind enough to help us out?

In our most desperate needs, we turn to God. Yet most times we feel like He isn’t going to answer our prayers – but is it really? Or do we simply forget about Him when we get what we want?

JESUS answers prayers in HIS WAY and in HIS TIME.