In my last post I alluded to the friends of Job who assumed that the reason Job found heaven silent was that he was hiding some hidden sin. Let’s take this a little further.
While not discounting the possibility that there is something in me that needs to change, I keep reminding myself that God can have other reasons for not answering prayer on my time schedule. The Bible tells us about people of faith who lived for long periods before getting what they were requesting. Job illustrates such people. When he suggested that heaven was withholding justice from him, his friends responded by accusing him of hiding a secret sin. They were wrong. God was silent to give Job a chance to trust him, not to punish him.
Then there was David. We remember him as “a man after God’s own heart.” Yet, his songs show how often he wondered why God didn’t answer his prayers. Hannah had a similar experience. So did Abraham and Sarah, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul.
It helps me to see that if we are struggling with unanswered prayers we are in good company. Even Jesus repeatedly made unanswered requests before saying, “Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done.”
Before going any further, what are you thinking?
Don’t feel limited by the following. But here are some questions I’d like to hear some comments on:
In struggling with unanswered prayer has there been any story of the Bible that you’ve found especially helpful?
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