Unanswered Prayer –
Unheard Answers
Are you experiencing unanswered prayer?
Does God turn a deaf ear to some of your
desperate pleas for healing, finances, or protection? We all experience
irritation when our best efforts to communicate result in an unsatisfactory
response -- or worse, no response at all. We wonder, “
Did you ever receive my message?” When we pray, we often equate the
lack of immediate tangible results with God rejecting our prayers. In
James 5:13-16 we are urged to pray
earnestly with the promise of “
powerful
and wonderful results.”
Why would God
emphasize the importance of prayer and then choose not to respond with a joyful
answer?
When answering prayer, God responds first to our attitude, much as a parent
responds to a precious child (
Psalm
103:13-14). Our childish actions and attitudes frequently affect a prayer’s
desired results.
Unforgiven (
Mark 11:24-25),
selfishness (
Proverbs 21:13),
doubt (
Matthew 21:21-22),
greed
(
James 4:2-3),
pride (
2 Chronicles 7:14-15),
and
stubbornness (
Zechariah 7:11-13) hinder God’s desire
to answer prayer.
Unanswered Prayer – Unexpected Answers
Prayer is not a casual one-sided conversation. It is not “
back-up insurance” guaranteeing a life
free from pain and struggles. Prayer is actively acknowledging God as the
source of all power and trusting that His answers, whether expected or
unexpected, will accomplish greater things (
Isaiah 46:9-10; 64:4).
Matt and our daughter, Jackie, both musicians, became close friends. As a
drummer, he would play back-up whenever she sang with the worship band. Matt’s
deepest desire was to teach God’s Word and perhaps enter the ministry. Their
common interests drew them closer. As a high-school junior, Jackie hoped to
attend the same out-of-state university as Matt. Then, Matt was diagnosed with
advanced lymphatic cancer. Jackie says, “
I
had great faith that God would heal Matt. He had such a passion to be a pastor,
teaching others. I knew God wouldn’t take his life because Matt could make such
a difference in this world.” She prayed for his healing.
In September of Jackie’s senior year, Matt died. Jackie responded with
anger and disbelief with God for seemingly not answering her prayers: “
Initially, I blamed God. Later, I blamed
myself, thinking I didn’t pray hard enough, or maybe I accidentally missed
praying one day.” Following graduation, Jackie began attending a Christian
university. Through friends, she began releasing the pain and grief locked
inside, eating away at her in solitude. “
Once
I actually voiced my suffering to another, the healing began, and I experienced
God’s love and strength again” (
2
Thessalonians 2:16-17).
Matt had taught all of us that he valued his eternal relationship with God
more than any temporary life he had on earth. We had all prayed for Matt to
live, and God answered with a wondrous “
YES!”
(
John 11:25). In the last semester
of our daughter’s junior year in college, she met Michael. “
I was first attracted to Mike’s intense love
for God. I knew God was accomplishing His plans in all our lives.” Today,
Michael serves the Lord, teaching and sharing God’s love with intense passion.
And when Jackie sings of God’s greatness, her devoted husband, Michael,
accompanies her on the conga drums (
Jeremiah
29:11).
Unanswered Prayer – Understanding Answers
Sometimes, God will answer, “
No” to our desperate prayers. Any delay or unexpected outcome must
not dishearten us.
What is God’s true
purpose in answering our prayers (
John
14:13)?
What does God want to
complete in us through prayer (
John
16:23–24)? God wants us to bring our every need to Him as He answers (yes
or no) according to His character and will. God will never grant requests
contrary to His will. While receiving a “
Yes”
usually makes us happy, God never promised us happiness. Happiness is based on
circumstances. God wants us to have everlasting joy -- especially when He
responds, “
No, it will be done in My
time, not yours. No, I will reveal My glory.”
In
Luke 22:41-44, Jesus agonized
over the events leading up to His death. In fervent prayer, His greatest desire
was to give pre-eminence to God’s will, not His suffering and pain (
Hebrews 12:2). When we pray without
ceasing (
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18),
God always responds, and every answer brings joy.
HE said...
"
My son...My daughter... don't be worry. I'm not too deaf to hear your
prayers. I'm not too blind to see your deepest heart. I'm not too old to forget
about you. It just need time. I know when the right time is. Be still and keep
praying. Have faith."
God Bless You
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