Many of us often pray. Sometimes, our prayers are prayers of thanks to the Lord, but, if we're honest, more often than not we pray because we're asking God for something. We may be asking God to help us find a job, get a promotion at work, better health, a good and happy marriage or whatever else we consider to be our need, or indeed our entitlement. Yes, I repeat ... our entitlement. Because many of us believe we're entitled to things just because we consider ourselves to be good. Life really isn't like that.
Many of us pray for something and in our heart we are really saying: "Come on God! You know I love you. I go to Church every now and then, and deep inside I am really good. Why don't you let me have ... (whatever we want at the time)".
As every parent knows, when children go on and on pesterring for something or other eventually, because we love them, we may well give way and answer their demands.
In fact, Jesus reminds us of this when He mentions the widow who kept pestering the judge day in day out until eventually he gave way and gave her what she wanted. (Luke Chapter 18). In this parable Jesus teaches us not to be discouraged and to continue praying to God our Father for our needs.
But what happens when we pray and wait, and wait and nothing happens? We pray for days, months, sometimes for years for something to happen to improve our lot and God does not seem to listen or answer. We don't know why. Perhaps He is busy with more urgent and pressing demands from someone else. Perhaps our demands are not such a high priority in His ever increasing in-tray. But as far as we're concerned He is not answering; and to be quite honest, we are running out of patience.
What then? When we wait and wait and nothing happens?
Is it OK to get angry with God? To stamp our foot on the ground like a spoilt child and go into tantrums throwing our toys out of the pram in protest?
I believe it is OK to be angry with God. It will not get us very far; but it is still OK.
God can take our anger. He did after all take all our anger when hanging there on the Cross. So a bit of stamping on the ground won't hurt Him that much.
But like any loving parent He will consider our demands, and if it is good for us, He will in His time and in His way respond.
Remember that God can see not only our past but our future too, and sometimes what we're asking for is not exactly what we should have. What is good for us in the long run.
So what should we really do when our prayers are seemingly unanswered. From experience, I believe we should continue praying and have patience. And then some more patience. We really need to trust Him that He knows best. Even if trust itself is stretched to the point of disbelief, we should continue to trust Him. Through gritted teeth even. Continue to trust Him just as a child trust his parents without questioning.
Difficult? Sure it is. But not impossible. I have known people whose life and whose lot has changed from bad to worse over and again. But they never gave up. They continued to trust Him.
And that's the road to Sainthood.
Saints are sinners like you and me; but they never gave up trusting Him.
There's a Star Trek episode where Nazis have invaded the United States during WW2 because aliens have messed with the timeline. Scott Bakula has been brought back in time to stop them. He meets a young woman who urges him to attack Berlin. "If you destroy their headquarters we can win!" Scott Bakula knows more than she does, so he tells her, "I am going to do it, but in a different way." He stops the aliens, time reverts to normal, and the USA was never invaded. Tada! But for a moment there, she might have been thinking, "He said no to my request."
ReplyDeleteI like the way you used "seems" and "seemingly." Sometimes there is more going on than we know.
I think of this episode often and, "I am going to do it, but in a different way."
(The episode is Zero Hour, Season 3, episode 24 of Star Trek: Enterprise)
Your point is well made, Sandi, using the example in Star Trek. I think I remember the episode. Although, to be honest, I preferred the Jean-Luc Picard and Captain Janeway Star Treks. Nothiong from with Bakula; but the Picard and Janeway ones were better in my opinion. I hope this does not spoil our friendship.
DeleteGod bless you.
AAAAAGHH! HOW DARE YOU.
Delete;-)
DeleteHehe
I am wishing I knew how to say that in Klingon.
SOOOOOOO SOOORRRYYYYYY!
DeleteGod bless.
I pray every night to God and whenever I feel the need to pray.
ReplyDeleteYes! I do ask God for healings and to watch over my family.
I can only do so much to help my family. I need God's help in this crazy world.
After praying I can feel weights being lifted from my heart and I feel the strength that I have asked for to continue with life.
He has seen me through very hard times. Without his love and strength I could never find mine.
Blessings Victor 💮
It is good to hear how prayer helps you, Jan. As best we can, when we pray, we should REALLY believe that He cares for us, and REALLY trust Him to do so.
DeletePraying for you. God bless.
Here is to trust in God.
ReplyDeleteAmen Christine.
DeleteGod bless you.
Yes, sometimes it can feel like God isn't listening because He isn't answering our prayers the way we think He should. But I've learned that God's ways are best, and if I keep trusting and continue praying, He will answer me in ways I never could have imagined or hoped for.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts, Victor! Blessings!
I suppose our problem as humans is that we want instant response; and we want it now. We have been conditioned to have everything at a moment's notice; instant fast food, instant heated/cooked food in the microwave oven, instant entertainment on TV and smart phones and so on. So we expect instant results to our prayers. God will not be hurried. He answers in His time and in His way.
DeleteGod bless you, Martha.
Regardless of what you're praying for you need to trust, never give up, the answer will always come in its own time and in its own way. Basically I am an impatient person but that's something I deal with all the time but faith and trust will get you through challenging times.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, you are so right, Bill. My problem is that I often lack patience.
DeleteGod bless you always.
Trying to be self-less is sure a struggle!
ReplyDeleteI keep going back to the phrase, "I've something better in mind." and of course, Garth Brooks' splendid song, "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers."
What a wonderful song that is, and so true. Sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
DeleteGod bless you, Mevely.
I remember an old hymn "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey". Trust - it doesn't sound that hard, but it sure is.
ReplyDeleteYes Terri, trust can be so difficult for us at times. It should not be; but it is.
DeleteGod bless you and yours.