When God Isn't Answering Your Prayers

We’ve all had prayers that we feel haven’t been answered. I know I have. You may even be in the midst of earnestly praying for something right now, and you’re wondering if God’s even listening. I’ve heard it said that when we are praying to God, there are three possible answers: Yes; No; or Not now.   But I believe there’s one more possible answer: “There’s a bigger picture here.  Are you willing to trust Me?”

When you’re in a season of praying, even begging, for such a divine intervention, your prayers seemingly hitting the ceiling, could something else be going on?  Could a spiritual whirlwind be transpiring in the heavenlies that hasn’t yet touched down to earth? When tragedy strikes, and everything seems impossible, could it actually be a positioning for a greater outcome? In our limited understanding, do we fail to recognize that He may actually be answering our prayers, just differently than we imagine or desire?

Perhaps our human capacity to comprehend God’s greatness, goodness, wisdom and patience, limits us from recognizing the bigger picture – how all the “chess” pieces of our lives, or those of the ones that we love, are actually being moved around the “board” by a God who sees and knows all things, at all times, and has a greater outcome in mind.

John 5:14-15 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” According to this, God will definitely answer when we pray according to His will.  But what if His will is something other than what we believe it to be, as once again, we’re confined to our limited human understanding?

Surrendering your will to God’s, trusting Him for the best outcome, isn’t easy.  In fact, it’s downright hard.  It requires humility and an unselfish sacrifice of our own desires.  If I really believe that it’s not all about me, can I then surrender my will to God’s for the best answer, trusting Him with an outcome that will not only benefit me, but others as well?  Can I be that unselfish? Am I capable of suffering for the sake of a greater outcome for someone else?  Am I willing to do without something, so that someone else won’t have to? Am I willing to sacrifice, so that someone else will come to personally know Him? Digging deep and looking within to ask the difficult questions is necessary in positioning ourselves for contentment with God’s answers, even if it is something other than what we’ve prayed. 

As I’ve said in previous posts, at the beginning of the year, our world was rocked by a tragedy within our family.  Without divulging too much information at this time, I can tell you that my youngest son was seriously injured.  As a result, he is facing a year of multiple surgeries, pain, suffering, rearranging plans, legal matters, huge medical bills – and a lot of trusting God. We’ve found it necessary for me to resign my position at our church, as he will require both a periodic caretaker and an advocate for this next year.  As a family, we’re helping, encouraging, praying, crying out to God, and doing what we can to help carry our son through.

It hasn’t been easy.  I’ve often questioned God, “What happened to all those prayers of protection that I have been praying for decades for my children?  How could this have happened?  Why did this happen? He wasn’t doing anything wrong, Lord!” But somehow in the midst of all of this mess – God has been showing me that there’s a much bigger picture.  There’s my son – his influence, growth, character, and courage; there’s us – our trust, patience, maturing, and sacrifice; there’s unknown others who are watching him fight this battle courageously and are being touched.  There’s lives to be transformed; miracles to take place; faith to be built; and character to be solidified – because He has the bigger picture in mind.

In the midst of all of the questions, I’ve undoubtedly discovered that God is answering prayers – just a heck of a lot differently than I imagined.  We’re watching Genesis 50:20 – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives,” come to life.  I’m also being reminded that God isn’t in the same prison of time in which we ourselves are confined.   He’s working it out, according to His plan and His timing.

Some days are hard.  Really hard. Especially for my courageous son.  But we’re seeing God at work as never before. We are witnessing God Almighty fighting on my son’s behalf in undeniable ways.  We are sensing His presence, love, favor, patience and kindness.  We are falling more in love with Him along the way.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to do “…immeasurably more than we can ask according to His power that is at work within us.” That being said, I believe there are times when we miss God’s answer, because “immeasurably more” looks different than we imagined.  We must remember…His best answer might not be our imagined picture.

So the next time you feel He isn’t hearing or seeing you, or that your prayers aren't being answered,  ask Him to open your eyes and your heart; expand your understanding and reveal His perfect plan.  He may be answering your prayers after all. Let’s not miss what He’s doing.  We can trust Him.