I Thank God for Unanswered Prayers

Garth Brooks
I've heard it said that if you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans. Personally, I think I've made God laugh so many times that, for a time, I completely gave up planning and just set my boat adrift. 

I've had a lot of unanswered prayers in my life, but I think my biggest one matches the words (almost verbatim) of Garth Brook's immortal song "Unanswered Prayers." While thinking about the lyrics to this song today, I couldn't help but think about my wife, "and then and there I thanked the good Lord for the gifts in my life."

Unanswered Prayers

Just the other night at a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
And as I introduced them the past came back to me
And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be

She was the one that I'd wanted for all times
And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine
And if he'd only grant me this wish I wished back then
I'd never ask for anything again

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
And I could tell that time had changed me
In her eyes too it seemed
We tried to talk about the old days
There wasn't much we could recall
I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all

And as she walked away and I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord
For the gifts in my life

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
That just because he may not answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered

Some of God's greatest gifts are all too often unanswered...
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers