Have you ever had prayers that were not answered the way you desired? Remember God answers prayer in His way, not ours. In some cases, as time goes by, we can see why, and we give a sigh of relief that God did what was best instead of what we wanted at the time. Other times as years go by, we still don’t understand.
As much as the Lord loves us and answers prayers, He doesn’t not always answer prayers the way we would like. The church prayed for Peter, and he was released from prison, but James was put to death for his faith. Acts 12:1About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. 2 He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.[1]
Did the church pray harder for Peter? Did the Lord love Peter more than James? When God does not answer the prayers the way we would like, we sometimes begin to make up reasons why. God is all powerful and all-knowing yet we as people want to question God. When you think of that in those terms, our questions of God don’t make a lot of sense.
We Don’t See the Big Picture Like God Does
The crow’s nest in ship is a lookout on the upper part of the main mask of a sailing ship. When a sailor is in the crows’ nest, they can see some things that the sailors on the main deck cannot see. In a figurative way the Lord is in the crows’ nest. The Lord knows all and sees things we only wonder about. He knows the beginning from the end and has a plan for each person and works out all things.
When our prayers are not answered the way we would like there is always a good reason, although we may not understand it at that time. Only in eternity, if God reveals it to us, will we understand. We must trust God and His answers to prayer. In faith we trust that He is doing the very best by the way He answers our prayers.
I Must Faithfully Trust God When I Pray
Faith is trust in God’s promises and not figuring everything out. When I pray to God, I am stepping out in faith that God hears and will answer in His way. I simply must place my faith in God as my answer unfolds.
Paul tells us Eph. 6:18, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. [2] Prayer with God is simply a conversation with God. It is pouring out our hearts to Him like the Psalmists often did.
When we spend time with the Lord in prayer it changes us. It reminds us that God loves us and wants to hear from His children. Prayer is His idea! There has nothing that has changed me more than being in God’s word and spending time in prayer. It helps me remember that there is a bigger picture even if I can’t see it.
To hear how God answers prayer in His way, not ours, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/god-has-more-release-for-peter
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.