Read Verses: Job 30:20-31
Key Verse: I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;
Listen to the heart of Job. He has been praying to God for quite a while. Test after test after test has been coming his way. He lost his wealth, his family, his health...and all the time he is faithful to God. He comes to God in prayer but gets no answers. Do you feel like Job sometimes, you pray and pray but no answers. You are not alone...his prayer went unanswered.
An American family turns to God each night, pleading for any shred of employment, any the chance to hold onto their home, yet discovers that income is too small to match expenses and runs out of options. Their prayer went unanswered.
When someone's father is first diagnosed with a rare illness, they pray first that the doctors were wrong, they pray next to slow his decline, and finally the family prays for his healing, but their prayers did not prevent his death. Their prayers went unanswered.
Any of us can look at life and see situations where is seems that prayers go without any response from God. The Bible itself tells stories of prayers unanswered: King David spent a week, fasting and on his face before God, praying that his infant son would not die. His prayer went unanswered.
Many times the armies of Israel prayed for victory over their enemies. And their prayers went unanswered. Jeremiah the prophet prayed that Jerusalem would not be destroyed. His prayer went unanswered. Even Jesus himself, near the end of his life prayed “let this cup pass,” that he would not have to go through the trial laid out before him. And his prayer went unanswered.
The bible is full of unanswered prayers, we gloss over them and we look for promises like
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” "If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
Promise after promise of answered prayer...all through the New Testament. Does God hear us? Do we have enough faith? Is God mad at me? Is there sin in my life? To put it simply, real life seems to demonstrate that prayers of petition are not always answered. It's not as easy as it sounds in scripture.
Prayers without answers really are a challenge to us all. We do a disservice to both God and ourselves when we try to minimize this issue. What is God trying to do when it seems he is so quiet when I am in so much need? Writer Philip Yancey puts it this way, “My own emphasis in prayer has moved from petition to companionship and I no longer agonize over the issue of unanswered prayer as I once did.”
Prayer is more than just asking God for something, prayer moves us into a deeper understanding of what we really need. Consider Paul, he was praying about a thorn in his flesh, but God answered saying "My grace is sufficient" Paul was using prayer as a way of getting out of pain, as a way of making life for comfortable. God was using it as a way to show his power in Paul's weakness.
When our prayers go unanswered, perhaps we need to spend some time asking God what our real need is. Sometimes what we ask for is really not what we need, but we think we need it so much it might even block what God is really trying to do.
God has a universe to run. That doesn't mean he doesn't care about us as individuals, he does...but maybe, just maybe, when he allows us to question why he is so quiet, like Job, he is trying to bring us to a deeper walk in his grace. He is trying to show us our comfort is not the meaning of our existence. Maybe he wants us to desire his friendship and fellowship more than we want an easier road in life. Maybe God wants something more important from you.
I wonder if I could take a poll, would I find that people who have unanswered prayers are resisting a deeper walk with Jesus? Do they really have a "relationship" with him that they want others to have...or are they wanting...really wanting something deeper, but afraid or unwilling to follow God to a new place. Are they more comfortable on the outskirts of Egypt or following God through the dessert?
Lord Jesus, I ask for so many things, I need so many things...but I need you more than anything. Let this day be the day of finding a deeper walk with you. Is there a gift I have you want me to use for your glory? Do I need to be studying your word more? Do I need to be a better disciple and love others more. Do you want me in ministry? Lord, draw me closer to your side and speak to me about my deepest needs. in your name My Lord Jesus, I pray. AMEN
Key Verse: I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;
Listen to the heart of Job. He has been praying to God for quite a while. Test after test after test has been coming his way. He lost his wealth, his family, his health...and all the time he is faithful to God. He comes to God in prayer but gets no answers. Do you feel like Job sometimes, you pray and pray but no answers. You are not alone...his prayer went unanswered.
An American family turns to God each night, pleading for any shred of employment, any the chance to hold onto their home, yet discovers that income is too small to match expenses and runs out of options. Their prayer went unanswered.
When someone's father is first diagnosed with a rare illness, they pray first that the doctors were wrong, they pray next to slow his decline, and finally the family prays for his healing, but their prayers did not prevent his death. Their prayers went unanswered.
Any of us can look at life and see situations where is seems that prayers go without any response from God. The Bible itself tells stories of prayers unanswered: King David spent a week, fasting and on his face before God, praying that his infant son would not die. His prayer went unanswered.
Many times the armies of Israel prayed for victory over their enemies. And their prayers went unanswered. Jeremiah the prophet prayed that Jerusalem would not be destroyed. His prayer went unanswered. Even Jesus himself, near the end of his life prayed “let this cup pass,” that he would not have to go through the trial laid out before him. And his prayer went unanswered.
The bible is full of unanswered prayers, we gloss over them and we look for promises like
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.” "If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
Promise after promise of answered prayer...all through the New Testament. Does God hear us? Do we have enough faith? Is God mad at me? Is there sin in my life? To put it simply, real life seems to demonstrate that prayers of petition are not always answered. It's not as easy as it sounds in scripture.
Prayers without answers really are a challenge to us all. We do a disservice to both God and ourselves when we try to minimize this issue. What is God trying to do when it seems he is so quiet when I am in so much need? Writer Philip Yancey puts it this way, “My own emphasis in prayer has moved from petition to companionship and I no longer agonize over the issue of unanswered prayer as I once did.”
Prayer is more than just asking God for something, prayer moves us into a deeper understanding of what we really need. Consider Paul, he was praying about a thorn in his flesh, but God answered saying "My grace is sufficient" Paul was using prayer as a way of getting out of pain, as a way of making life for comfortable. God was using it as a way to show his power in Paul's weakness.
When our prayers go unanswered, perhaps we need to spend some time asking God what our real need is. Sometimes what we ask for is really not what we need, but we think we need it so much it might even block what God is really trying to do.
God has a universe to run. That doesn't mean he doesn't care about us as individuals, he does...but maybe, just maybe, when he allows us to question why he is so quiet, like Job, he is trying to bring us to a deeper walk in his grace. He is trying to show us our comfort is not the meaning of our existence. Maybe he wants us to desire his friendship and fellowship more than we want an easier road in life. Maybe God wants something more important from you.
I wonder if I could take a poll, would I find that people who have unanswered prayers are resisting a deeper walk with Jesus? Do they really have a "relationship" with him that they want others to have...or are they wanting...really wanting something deeper, but afraid or unwilling to follow God to a new place. Are they more comfortable on the outskirts of Egypt or following God through the dessert?
Lord Jesus, I ask for so many things, I need so many things...but I need you more than anything. Let this day be the day of finding a deeper walk with you. Is there a gift I have you want me to use for your glory? Do I need to be studying your word more? Do I need to be a better disciple and love others more. Do you want me in ministry? Lord, draw me closer to your side and speak to me about my deepest needs. in your name My Lord Jesus, I pray. AMEN
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