“When God says No”
*Many of theses thoughts are from an article by Lance Witt.
[Introduction]
Sometimes we clearly see God
answer a prayer with a timely “yes.” Sometimes we have seen God, answer yes,
but in a different way or time than we had hoped for or expected. Occasionally,
time gives us a greater perspective on life and we can recognize and value how
God worked.
I have seen God heal
relationships and marriages in response to prayer and I have also seen God NOT
heal relationship and marriages in response to prayer.
Sometimes, we can appreciate
a “NO” answer to our prayers.
My father-in-law when he was
a young man briefly dated a woman that either he or she ,or God just
sovereignly ended the relationship. Years after he had married his current
wife, he found out that this woman he had briefly dated had been married
several times. He was relieved that he had avoided some major potential
problems in his life.
The apostle Paul in a
well known, but undefined struggle said,
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
(ESV)
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should
leave me.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more
gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I
am strong.
Why doesn’t God answer our
prayers in some very specific circumstances that each of us have in our minds? God is all loving, the Bible say
that. Since He is, why doesn’t he answer
our prayers?
Some of us here have
specifically prayer for certain things that we clearly know are within the will
of God. It is always God’s will to pray for someone to be saved. To pray for
healed relationships with a prodigal child, restored relationship with family
or spouse.
It is appropriate according
to James to pray for physical healing.
When you pray for those
things but do not seen life change, you may be asking yourself,
Is the Lord mad at me?
Is there something wrong with
me?
Do I not have enough faith?
Are my prayers making any
positive difference?
Are my prayers just bouncing off the ceiling?
You and I have seen God
positively answer other people’s prayers that we are also praying. Sometimes God even seems to be working
positively in the lives of those who don’t know Him. Those emotions become very
raw over time and we cry out from the heart, “It’s not fair.” You may try to keep as the
English refer to a “stiff upper lip.” Fortitude in the face of adversity --
when your heart is flooded with painful emotions and unanswered questions.
The book of Job helps us to
probe this issue. While it is likely the oldest book in the Bible, every thing
it says is relevant to the human condition now as was it 4000 years ago. The Bible called Job a
righteous man. He also experienced great success and material prosperity. He
was greatly respected and admired by many people. But there was something going
on in the spiritual realm that he was not aware of.
God allowed Satan to affect Job in a horrific
way.
One day Job lost 7,000 sheep,
3000 camels, 5000 oxen, 500 donkeys, “all his servants were killed, and then
the crowning blow was that all 10 of his kids were killed in a freak accident.”
“Shortly, Job lost his health
and his entire body from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head was
covered in boils. Over night, one of the most wealthy, well-respected, and
righteous men on earth was reduced to nothing.”
Job’s wife advice was to
curse God and die. Throughout most of the
chapters of Job God is silent.
Job and his friends then
wrestle with trying to understand his circumstances. He friends became unhelpful once they opened
their mouths.
In this struggle to
understand and respond to the suffering some helpful principles come out.
When God says No to your
prayers,
I. Affirm what you know to be true about
God
Job
19:25 For I know that my Redeemer
lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
II. Look to Jesus
in your struggles.
Hebrews 12:2 looking to
Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God.
III. Don’t mistake the silence
of God for the absence of God.
Job
34:29 When he is quiet, who can
condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or
a man?—
IV.
Remember that God is not obligated to explain himself
Job
38:1-4
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it
known to me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me,
if you have understanding.
When
God says No to your prayers,
V.
Take comfort in knowing that God is at Work
Job
33:12-14
12 “Behold, in this you are not
right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you contend against him,
saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’? 1
4 For God speaks in
one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.
VI.
Do not let your pain distort your view of God.
Job
13:15 Though he slay me, I will hope
in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.
VII.
Always keep God’s eternal purpose in your mind
1
Corinthians 15:19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all
people most to be pitied.
VIII.
Trust in God's control and purposes for your life
Job
23:10 But he knows the way that I
take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
Conclusion
Joni
Eareckson Tada who is now 64 has spent the last 47 years paralyzed.
"A
sacrifice of praise will always cost you something. It will be a difficult
thing to do. It requires trading in our pride, our anger, and most valued of
all, our human logic. We will be compelled to voice our words of praise firmly
and precisely, even as our logic screams that God has no idea what he's doing.
Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were penned by men and
women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of
other intolerable situations".
She
has some interesting closing words here.
"It's
ironic. In heaven, where I will be able once again to wipe my own tears, I
won't have to."
