Just Keep Praying and Trusting

The LORD says: “These people come near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” Isaiah 29:13

I just do not know why God does not answer my prayer request.  Have these words or something similar ever come out of your mouth? It can be difficult to pray for something day after day, and God seemingly does not answer. Prayer is one of the most beautiful languages as it connects you to God. However, sometimes it can be very difficult to understand. I like Dan Allender’s definition of the promise of prayer: “A gift that connects us to the heart of the Father and as a path for transforming the world. “

The better question to ask is, “How did God answer my prayer request?”  We assume that the way we ask is how God will answer. Thankfully, God knows better and answers in a way that is best for us. What else could we expect from a God who loves us so deeply?

“We will not know until we are in heaven the degree to which Jesus’ intercession marked and changed our lives. But we do know that the Father “always” hears his Son (John 11:42). And we know that Jesus only prays for his “perfect” will for us to be done (Romans 12:2).”

Jim Denison wrote about this in one of his recent blogs. He described a church’s visitation team that had gone to his house to invite him and his brother to church. Denison wrote that they were the last names on the team’s list, and if they had not been home, the team would have missed the visit and most likely would not have returned. That chance encounter opened the door for the boys to attend church, where they eventually responded to Jesus’ call for salvation.

The answers we do not receive may be for our own good. As Jesus intercedes for us, the Holy Spirit prays within us. “In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27.

God’s answer to our prayers will always be for our good, even when we do not understand it, at least in the moment! St. Augustine, who shaped much of the church’s foundational theology, understood this well. He had run from faith throughout his early life and would probably not have surrendered except for a determined mother who would not give up. Augustine wrote how he came to faith in the form of a prayer:

“My mother wept faithfully to you more than mothers weep for dead children. You heard her, Lord. You heard her. Nine years were to pass. All that time this faithful widow continued her weeping and mourning. She prayed every hour. But for all her efforts, you allowed me to remain in darkness.

You gave her at least two grand assurances. In a dream, you told her that you would be with me. And through a priest, you explained to her that it was pointless to try to argue me out of my errors. I was not yet ready for instruction. I was too excited by the novelty of my heresy. “’ Leave him alone,’ he told her. ‘Only pray to God for him. He will discover by reading how great is his error. It is not possible that the son of these tears should perish.”

“Only pray to God for him” is not the way we like to pray. We may believe in prayer, but we often pray with the intended outcome attached, just in case God cannot figure it out. When the answer seems never to come or comes in a way we did not expect, we can take comfort in the Psalmist’s words, “Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion?… But then I recall all you have done, O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago…You are the God of great wonders!” Psalm 77:7-9,11,14 NLT

We come to a place of complete rest in our prayers as we trust God with the outcome. There is nothing wrong with sharing the problem, the challenge, or what you think the answer should be with God, but just as quickly, tell God you want what He wants. “When you know God is present, your soul will bow before his majesty and ask for help.” (Francis De Sales)

All my longings lie open before you, O LORD; my sighing is not hidden from you. Psalm 38:9.

God is great!