A Prayer Unanswered?

Often, we turn to God in fervent prayer. “Oh Lord, please grant me _____.” Silence seems to follow…God seemingly doesn’t act in response. Does he even hear our prayers?

We wonder if God really cares about our situation. We wonder why he has rejected our heartfelt desire. We continue to wait for a forthcoming response…yet none comes.

Our reactions to this lack of response are varied. For some, it instills a sort of weary resignation. For others, a profound sadness. It may even create a bit of anger towards God (if we are honest with ourselves and him). We recognize our obedience (mostly) to the Lord’s will. Why isn’t he answering his faithful servent? “Please Lord”, we silently cry out to him.

Just because it’s a cloudy day doesn’t mean the sun has gone away. It remains there, behind the clouds, waiting for its moment to shine. This happens upon God’s timing. Perhaps plants at that time need the rain, rather than the sun, to grow.

God’s answer to our prayer may not come in the form we expect, but it might come in terms of what we need at a particular moment. Sometimes even, a prayer unanswered is a blessing, a danger avoided. Let’s say you take the bus to work every day. You’re tired of it. It’s a hassle and the bus has no air-conditioning. You pray earnestly for a car. Yet, this prayer draws forth no response from God. One day, there was a horrific accident on a street near your home. You could have been, very easily, the driver of that car had God given you your heart’s desire.

We never really know how God will respond to our prayers. His response of a “No” could actually be one of protection. Thus, it is for our own good.

We all hate waiting. Yet “Wait” is oftentimes a prayer response. Jesus teaches us about delayed gratification in the Parable of the Mustard Seed. The Seed, which takes extremely long to grow, eventually becomes a flourishing tree:

Matthew 13:32 KJV

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Patience results in spiritual growth. It is entirely possible that we may not be ready for our prayer to be answered. Perhaps we long for a godly husband, or wife. Yet, our earnest supplication goes unanswered. This could mean that God has yet to place that right person in our path. Why? A successful marriage takes a special kind of spiritual maturity. It involves placing one’s own desires aside for the good of that union. As we are not quite at that stage of growth, God allows for us to “ripen”. It may be God’s will for us to be single because he has another path for us. Either way, as Our Loving Father, he wants what is best for us.

God’s ways are mysterious. It is difficult to accept the fact that his will or timing may not coincide with our own. However, we need to place our unwavering faith in him. What is meant to happen will, by God’s means, not man’s.

To fully walk in faith, we need to leave everything in God’s hands:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV

Pray without ceasing.

-Melanie DiLeo