Sometimes the Answer is No

By: Grace Metzger

If you’re like me and grew up in the church you’ve probably heard the phrase “Ask and you will receive.” I heard this phrase a lot growing up and if I’m being completely honest it frustrated me to hear it. When you’re praying for something, believing God will listen and do it, and then nothing happens it can be a bit confusing and frustrating. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong. I would think “Maybe I sinned and made God mad so He doesn’t want to help me.” I felt so guilty over it.

It took me years to understand that even if you pray and believe in God, that sometimes the answer is just no. To many people that might make them feel very hopeless or maybe even it might make them feel a bit resentful. You might ask yourself “Why would God say no? Does He loves me?” But just because your prayer is answered with a no doesn’t mean God doesn’t love you. In fact, in my experience it’s the exact opposite. So often I get stuck in my own ways, praying for things that I don’t truly need. God knows our heart so much more then we do.

In Psalms 139:1 it says “ You have searched me, Lord, and You know me.” God knows what we actually need and what will help us grow and prosper. Our Father has an incredible plan for our life. Sometimes that plan doesn’t include what we’ve been praying for. When I was younger I prayed for healing so often. I believed that there was no way God would allow this pain to happen. I thought I knew God plans. But God’s plan is so much bigger then we can ever possibly understand. His plan is so amazing, but it might not involve what you want. Whether that is being healed, getting a new house, being promoted, whatever it is. Unlike us, God knows the future He set up for us and He knows what is good for us and not.

However just because God doesn’t immediately give us something doesn’t mean we should give up and stop praying. In fact, even Jesus continued to pray even though He already knew the answer. Jesus knew that it was in God’s plan for Him to die on the cross and yet He still took the time and prayed to God. In Matthew 26:39 Jesus prayed “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

We can learn a lot from Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. He was willing to submit to God’s will despite fear, despite pain He was going about to receive, despite everything. Jesus submitted to God. He knew that God had a wonderful plan that was going to save everyone.

It can be disappointing in not getting what we want. But we can hold on to the promise that God loves us so much that He will give us what we need. God takes care of us.

I encourage you to read Psalm 23:1 and meditate on it. “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” God will take care of us. We don’t have to worry about Him not answering our prayers. We can trust in our Father to take care of us and lead us down a path of goodness and prosperity. Trusting isn’t always easy but believe me, trusting in God over trusting in yourself is going to improve your life so much.

Discussion:
1. What do you do when you are having trouble trusting God?
2. What is something you've been praying for and haven't felt an answer to?