I've come to a place where I understand and can handle that God doesn't and will not, perhaps even choose to not answer every prayer. I believe it is His will to supply all my needs. I believe it is His desire to provide for my success and well being. I truly believe all his promises are for me and mine.
Still, I have experienced that, even though His word declares "It is finished", there are still areas in my life that are a work in progress. Even though His word firmly states that "By His stripes we were healed", it is in God's time that healing will flow and burst through my life, my children, and the bodies of my family. He chooses the moment. God chooses to be glorified as I believe, stand firm and wait. But, even as I continue to declare He is for me and not against me, not every prayer is answered.
Yes, God will answer sometimes by saying, "No." and I am fine with that. True. I may not enjoy the moments his answer is, "No." or "Wait.", but still, I've seen and experienced enough of God's presence in my life to know that when God doesn't answer prayer, it doesn't mean He stops caring, loses authority, or has somehow become void of power.
When God doesn't answer prayer, we need to turn to His word and turn to Him for the answers. I'll use a simple example. Today, I prayed, along with my family, I prayed my heart out for my son's football team to win. Knowing they had excelled in the other games, I entered the field, as most of us did, filled with expectation and believing we'd win. Throughout the game, I cried out to God for divine protection for each child playing. I prayed for God to shield their bodies from harm. And, yes, I prayed for skill and strategy to work together, and for the Lord to move in the field on their behalf and bring them one more victory.
They didn't move forward to the last game as their loss today left them in third place and their time ended. There were tears, angry moments, and sadness. But, the Coaches gathered around their team and celebrated, encouraged and loved on those boys.
God chose not to answer what "I" wanted. But, he did answer what he wanted. Not one child was hurt. God enabled the team to push forward and play hard with an undefeated team. Regardless of their loss, there was still great victory!
Another example is this:
God has not healed members of my family from various physical conditions. It hurts me to see their pain and struggle. Is God mean, bad, uncaring, silent or just plain fake? No. I've seen him work in our bodies, our lives and in our situation countless times. I've seen healing in our bodies, in God's time, in His way, and sometimes, slowly. But when it has come, it's been in such a way, that it cannot be denied that God has done the work. The only one that can take the credit for what has happened in our bodies, in our family crisis, and in our difficult situation is God because nothing and no one else could have intervened or brought us through. Only God.
So, when God doesn't answer prayer, maybe His silence is just our time to wait. When God doesn't answer, perhaps we need to research our hearts and discover He has answered in a different way, or we need to find what the Lord is doing in our midst that will work for our good, to bring about His desired outcome in our lives.
He is not through with you, or me, or my family. He is, perhaps, just beginning to put those special finishing touches on "you" his masterpiece.
Can you allow Him to work in you as you wait? Can you trust Him for your tomorrow but also for your today? Can you stand upon His promises even when it seems they are so far away you can't even hope for another day?
Grab hold of a new beginning for your life. God is in the midst of your situation and your prayer. He is not letting go of you. So, don't you let go of Him.
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