It happens. We pray for specific healing, and the healing doesn’t come. We pray for distinct favor, and we are met with setbacks and heartache. We pray, but our requests appear to have been overlooked.
I was acutely aware of my unanswered prayer predicament the other day. Of course, all the cute spiritual phrases came to mind; my favorite being “prayer might not change your circumstance but it will change you.” I don’t disagree, which is why I like it. But it also doesn’t feel good when my prayers feel unheard.
I reminded myself of James’ reasons for God’s silence or inaction… perhaps my requests are selfish or outside of God’s will (James 4:3).
While sitting in my turmoil and attempting to calm each nerve, that divine peace started to roll in and over me 🙌 And do you know what He told me?!
When I don’t answer your specific request, I am increasing your faith.
Um. Excuse me? Question here 🙋♀️ How about You answer my prayer and that will increase my faith?
*silence*
🤦♀️
When God does not respond, what happens to our next prayer?
Does it require us to dig a little deeper, to persevere diligently? Does it allow us to cling all the more tightly to His faithfulness?
We forget that faith is the assurance of things hoped for that are not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
If you are consistently seeing answered prayer, it may take less faith for you to ask for something else. Whereas, me over here, I’m going to be asking with a lot more faith given the lengthy list of requests I’ve been denied.
But have I really been denied anything?
Through each prayerful experience, He is faithful. Even if His answer is “no” or silence, we have indeed received an answer. Our hope and joy rests in God Himself, not in the tallying of what we think He should be doing for us.
Millennial MSG 