Getting God out of the box

Jennifer Smith, an AIM discipler tells this story:

As a newly clean and sober person, I attended 12-step meetings quite frequently. One day I heard a lady share a story about her “God Box.”

This was a box that she communicated her prayer requests to God himself. She wrote them down, inserted them into the box, and waited for her prayers to be answered. There was no need for further prayer – a God box was all she needed.

I got so excited that I immediately bought my own God box. It was beautiful – burgundy and velvet. I began to put some prayers in the box, “

Dear God, please get me a job.” “Dear God, please get me…” They were all simple prayers to which I got simple answers. For example, the job I got was in the back kitchen working hard hours.

One day I was watching a TV preacher. His words amplified in my ears: “GET GOD OUT OF THE BOX! Be more specific with your prayers. Don’t be afraid to ask Him…” I realized that I truly had been keeping God in the box.

I stopped putting my prayers in the box and began to pray them out loud, building a whole new relationship with God and a new belief as well. I put away my God box and began to communicate with God through actual prayer.

Afterward, things started happening – good things! I was able to pay off bounced checks from literally 10 years ago. I got a new and great job, one that allowed me to have worship times off.

My prayers have increased even more throughout the years. I am very fervent and passionate with them! As a result, God has taken an addict and molded her into a minister of the gospel created for good works. This would have never been possible with my Lord kept in “My God Box.”

“But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”

Psalm 66:19