Within this past month, God has answered a prayer in such a powerful and unexpected way and I want to share. Once again I will be somewhat vague.
Last December I formed a group that rehearsed music together for an upcoming recital in February. The rehearsals in the beginning were wonderful. We all got along, and we accomplished many things. However, the longer we were together, the more we rehearsed, and the more I was criticized.
One of the members was not satisfied with our playing. They insisted on rehearsing 6 days a week for an hour or more. Because the recital was a month and a half away, I did not give it much thought.
Eventually, my jaw could not handle all of the playing anymore. It got to a point where I had to cancel lessons, and not have any personal practice time. I asked the group to limit our rehearsals to twice a week. The response I got was that I was not serious, I am bringing the group down, my injury is a lie, I am unprofessional, etc.
Although I try to be strong, I could not handle the personal attacks. I prayed to God about what should I do. Should I quit and find a sub, or should I deal with the disrespect until the recital is over? I prayed about it for a long time, and I did not get a clear answer, so I decided to find a sub. When I asked for a sub, no one could meet all the requirements of rehearsals and performances. I believed at the time that God meant for me to perform, and wanted me to learn how to deal with these kinds of situations.
The day of the performance came. That morning, I woke up feeling a little warm and dizzy, but I thought nothing of it. I ended up throwing up that morning, and I eventually stayed in my bed for three days with the flu.
I know it is hard to understand how God answers prayers, but sometimes He answers it in a way that we do not expect. My flu was unexpected, and the symptoms came all at once. It was clear that God did not want me to perform with the group, and I am glad that I did not. This prayer helped me to learn that not all things are answered right away, and we have to prepare for what can happen. Thankfully, I found a sub last minute who did both of the performances. It amazes me how God answered this prayer, and how He was looking after me the whole time.
