Unanswered prayer. Whether for self or standing in the gap for others, we pray for healing. Reconciliation. Direction. Salvation. And nothing. Is. Happening. Or perhaps worse, the opposite of our request comes to pass. Is God listening? Have I missed something? Am I praying “wrong”? Is there any point?
We lost two very close friends to cancer. We have a photo, now precious to us, of them sitting with us and their spouses on our couch celebrating a new year; sharing the love with games, laughter, and joy-filled smiles. Four years later? Both gone. One a year after the other.
I prayed my heart out over those two for healing. Why wouldn’t the Lord want to heal them? They would have given great testimony and all credit to the Lord. They lived in boldness for Him and were parents of children who needed them. Two of those children already lost their dad. I was certain I knew God’s “best answer”: physical healing from the cancer here on earth. And they both died. Of cancer. A difficult, painful, wasting-away.
Hurting, and a bit angry, I struggled. “So, what’s the point? My prayers make no difference. God will do what He wills.”
Have you wrestled with these questions? Oswald Chambers proposes an answer: “‘Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.’ (Matthew 6:8) Then why ask? The idea of prayer is not in order to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we pray because we want answers, we will get huffed with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect, and our spiritual huff shows a refusal to identify ourselves with our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove God answers prayer; we are here to be living monuments of God’s grace.”
Not long ago, this realization hit. God did not grant Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane to “have this cup removed”. He prayed in agony to the point of sweating blood, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me!” He knew what crucifixion looked like. He had seen it even as a boy; the Romans crucifying men along the roadways for all to see their painful, torment.
He also understood the awaiting horror of having the sin of ALL men and women for ALL time poured upon Him. The perfect, sinless One filled with the filth, stench and darkness of all mankind; resulting in separation from God, His holy Father. This cup He prayed be removed. It was not removed.
But Jesus offered His prayer upon a critical foundation: “Not my will but yours be done.” In total, absolute submission, He accepted His Father’s answer. Jesus carried out the Father’s will with silent strength and resolve.
“He went into Gethsemane in the dark; he came out in the light—because he had talked with God. He went into Gethsemane in an agony; he came out with the victory won and with peace in his soul—because he had talked with God.” – William Barclay
The way God answers our prayers may not make sense to us now. If God seems to come up short at times, it is we who lack understanding of the full picture. (Isaiah 55:8-9) If we don’t receive what we ask for, God has not grudgingly refused to give, but has something better. Someday we’ll understand the “no”; the “why”. In the meantime, we submit to the sovereign will of our Father. Who “is” Love.
In total trust and submission to God’s sovereignty, we find perfect peace.
We are praying to the One who knows our needs better than we know them ourselves. His authority and will are drenched in compassionate love for us. His plans for us drip with hope to prosper and flourish. (Jeremiah 29:11-12) He works all things for our good. (Romans 8:28)
Truth dawns: unanswered prayer does not exist. Unanswered prayer is an oxymoron. No prayer from a child of God is lost. He responds to every murmur. Every time. The answer may not be what we desire or expect, or according to our time frame. But each answer, even a refusal, results from the all-encompassing love and infinite wisdom of our Abba Father. Always answering prayers with His absolute best for us.
“When You don’t move the mountains, I’m needing You to move.
When You don’t part the waters, I wish I could walk through.
When You don’t give the answers, as I cry out to You.
I will trust in You.”
Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXMPNXXnCls
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
