Open my Eyes, Lord

Most Christians, even those who have walked with God for only a short time, have experienced the disappointment of praying and not seeing an immediate answer. In many Christian circles, when a prayer seems unanswered, especially when we believe we are praying according to God’s will, we often conclude that God may be saying, “Not now.”

But what if there is another dimension to receiving from God? What if the answer has already been provided, but our eyes have not yet been opened to see it?

After all, Jesus made powerful promises concerning prayer:

In John 14:13–14, Jesus said:

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

In Mark 11:24, He said:

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

In John 15:7, Jesus also said:

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted.”

And in John 16:24, He said:

“You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”

These are not the words of an unreliable man. These are the words of God in human form. Scripture reminds us in Numbers 23:19:

“God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

So, if God is faithful to His Word, why do we sometimes not see answers to our prayers?

One possible answer is found in Genesis 21, in the story of Hagar and Ishmael. After complications arose in Abraham’s household, Hagar and her son were sent away into the wilderness. When their water ran out, Hagar placed the boy under a bush and moved away because she could not bear to watch him die. She wept in desperation.

But the Bible says that God heard the boy crying.

Then God spoke to Hagar, encouraged her, and reminded her of His promise concerning Ishmael. The answer came in a remarkable way:

“Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water.”
Genesis 21:19

The well was already there. The provision was already present. What Hagar needed was not for God to create water, but for God to open her eyes to see the water He had already provided.

We see a similar principle in 2 Kings 6:15–17, when Elisha and his servant were surrounded by enemy troops. The servant panicked when he saw the horses, chariots, and soldiers surrounding them. From his natural perspective, the situation looked hopeless.

But Elisha responded with confidence:

“Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than on theirs!”

Then Elisha prayed:

“O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!”

The Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the hills were filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Again, the answer was already there. The protection had already been provided. What changed was not the situation itself, but the servant’s ability to see what God had already made available.

These two examples speak directly to many of the needs we face today. Hagar’s story points to provision. Elisha’s servant’s story points to protection, fear, and spiritual perspective.

In both cases, the answer was already present, but it had to be revealed.

My encouragement to the Christians of Highway is this: after we have prayed and asked God according to His Word, let us also pray, “Lord, open my eyes to see the answer You have already provided.”

God is faithful. He hears. He answers. But sometimes, what we need most is not a new miracle, but opened eyes to recognise the miracle already before us.