Importunity

I would love to take credit for the following insights into the parable Jesus told of the friend, who, for his much importunity, was given the loaves of bread...but I can't. These insights were given in the study portion of my Bible.
I was reading in Luke 11 this morning...a chapter packed with all kinds of really good things by the way..about the man who had unexpected company in the middle of the night. Obviously this man wasn't from the South because he wasn't expecting company and had nothing to offer his weary traveller. He ran next door to ask for bread from his neighbor. As he stood banging on the door and calling out, he was told to go away. He told his neighbor he would be a bad host if he didn't offer refreshment to his unexpected guest. His neighbor replied that he and his entire family were in bed already and would he please go away. The man continued banging on the door and shouting about his desperate need of bread. The neighbor, finally tired of the noise and banging, realized the man wasn't going to go away and got up and gave him what he wanted. Jesus said the man got his bread for his importunity.
All my life, I've been taught that Jesus is teaching persistence in prayer in this parable...and He is, but until today, I've never really considered what that truly means. It's something I've always thought just meant to keep praying for the same thing, but my study Bible offered some new things to consider...all things I see evidence of in my prayer journey. First, persistence in prayer is NOT about me changing God's mind. Persistence is giving God time to change MY mind; to get me to come 'round to His side of things. It's about me getting to know the heart and mind of God and learning to desire those same things too. Second, persistence is NOT me convincing God of how great my need for Him to answer is, but a time for ME to realize how important His answering it really is. You need time to examine the reasons behind your request and determine just how important it is for God to answer. Third, and last, persistence is NOT me getting an answer and going on my merry way, but an opportunity to look back over the prayer and learn to recognize all the ways God's hand has been on the request and the ways He works. Those things are not always immediately recognizable and it may take some time to see God's work.
As I thought back over the nearly three months of this prayer, I most definitely see all the ways God changed what I wanted to happen in this request. Tebow isn't a Bronco, the kids will not get to go to Denver to meet him, I now pray this request will be as big a blessing in Tebow's life as it has been in my life and the life of my students. I thought the greatest blessing of this request would be the kids actually meeting Tebow, and it isn't; their strides in learning to become genuine prayer warriors is by far the greatest blessing in this whole thing...and these are just a few ways God has changed my thinking.
I have come to realize just how important it is that God answer this so that my kids see the God of their Bible come to life in a concrete way in their lives. Our school needs a memorial to the impossible things God will do when we pray in faith. I've told my kids, based on His Word, God is going to answer this...He HAS to answer.
As far as being able to see all the ways God has worked, I refer you to my last post, "Thankful God HASN'T Answered Yet?!" So many things God has done that I did not see as His work at the time, but as I continued faithful in prayer, God revealed.
Importunity took on a whole new meaning today and will definitely change my thinking about why I need to be importunate in my prayers.