I have always been amused by the phrase, “Be careful what you pray for—you might get it!”

Recently I had a somewhat humorous experience which, on more thought, demonstrates a serious defect of mine. I live right behind the University of South Carolina where many students rent houses. Out my large window are lovely young co-eds who like to sunbathe in the fall and spring, providing me a ready supply of triggers. I try not to look, and….

Being a humorous guy, I told my group I had been praying for lots of rainy days. They laughed along with me. But when classes began, it rained every day or two for a couple of weeks and I joked about it being providential. Then came a hurricane that caused record flooding in my state. I grew tired of driving 200 miles on my daily courier route in the rain—in fact I became a little resentful and was tempted to pray for sunshine.

Driving one day, a “vision” came to me: it was God laughing and saying, “You prayed for rain and I sent it—now you want sunshine. Would you make up your mind?” It hit me right in my addiction—I still want everything to be all about me. I want rain when it is convenient and sunshine when I desire it. I don’t care that my rain or my sunshine might ruin somebody’s picnic or aggravate their sensitive skin.

The solution? Keep working my recovery and be careful what I pray for!