Page:Heidi - Spyri - 1922.djvu/186

 said, “Now, child, tell me why you are not happy? Have you still the same trouble at heart?”

Heidi nodded in reply.

“Have you told God about it?”

“Yes.”

“And do you pray every day that He will make things right and that you may be happy again?”

“No, I have left off praying.”

“Do not tell me that, Heidi! Why have you left off praying?”

“It is of no use, God does not listen,” Heidi went on in an agitated voice, “and I can understand that when there are so many, many people in Frankfurt praying to Him every evening that He cannot attend to them all, and He certainly has not heard what I said to Him.”

“And why are you so sure of that, Heidi?”

“Because I have prayed for the same thing every day for weeks, and yet God has not done what I asked.”

“You are wrong, Heidi; you must not think of Him like that. God is a good father to us all, and knows better than we do what is good for us. If we ask Him for something that is not good for us, He does not give it, but something better still, if only we will continue to pray earnestly and do not run away and lose our trust in Him. God did not think what you have been praying for was good for you just now; but be sure He heard you, for He can hear and see every one at the same time, because He is a God and not a human being like you and me. And because He thought it was better for you not to have at once what you wanted, He said to Himself: Yes, Heidi shall