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Unanswered Prayers

Mark Dunagan
05/13/18 - Sunday Morning

Unanswered Prayers

Have you been praying for something or someone for years, maybe even decades and that prayer has gone unanswered? How do we handle that?

You Have Been Heard

It may appear that our prayer or prayers have not been answered, the results we desired have not arrived, and yet this never means that our prayers have been ignored. 

• “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).
• When God did not grant Paul’s specific prayer request in 2 Corinthians 12:8, it is clear that God heard and took note of his prayer.
• We also need to realize that God can answer a prayer in a number of different ways. He can say “yes”, or “no”, and He can equally say, “wait”.
• If a prayer is not granted, this does not mean that we did not pray long enough (Matthew 6:7), or failed to use the perfect wording or formula. Neither does it mean that God is so busy answering the prayers of others, or the prayers of people who are more significant than us that our prayers get lost in the shuffle. In Acts chapter 10 God took note of the prayer of a single Roman soldier (Acts 10:4, 34-35).

God Knows Best/A Higher Purpose

• Jesus’ request that He be spared from the cup of suffering coming His way was ungranted because there was something even more important than His pain and anguish, that is, our salvation from eternal woe (Luke 22:42). 
• Paul’s fervent prayer that the thorn in the flesh be removed from him was ungranted because such a trial was helping to keep Paul humble and close to God (2 Corinthians 12:7 “to keep me from exalting myself”, “For power is perfected in weakness”).
• Paul’s thorn in the flesh was not removed because God enjoyed watching Paul struggle and suffer, but because it was helping Paul become a stronger Christian.

My Grace is Sufficient for You: 2 Corinthians 12:9

Even while Paul was enduring this thorn in the flesh, God said that Paul was enjoying His grace. God had not forsaken or abandoned him. The presence of the thorn was not proof that God had withdrawn His love, care and blessings. Rather, a tremendous amount of grace, blessings and help existed along with the trial. So if I am going through something really difficult I need to remember to look for the grace that is sufficient, because it is present.

So that the Power of Christ May Dwell in Me: 12:9

When life is perfect anyone can look like they have all the answers or that they have it together. When life is perfect we seem to focus on the accomplishments of the individual. It is ironic that people expect God to give them a perfect life, to keep them from all harm and yet when that happens for a while they often tend to forget and ignore Him. On the other hand, when I am going through something really hard and yet I am thankful, faithful, and grateful, such catches the attention of others in a different way. People tend to say something like, “What is sustaining them?”  “If that was me I would be miserable”.  “Whatever they have, I want it”.  Paul’s thorn in the flesh was not only an opportunity for Paul to remain close to God but equally an opportunity for people to see how faith in Christ can sustain one in difficult times.

But My Prayer is Legitimate

There are times that we are praying for something that we genuinely believe, if answered, would help us, not become more materially successful or comfortable, but more spiritual. Knowing Paul, his desire for the removal of his thorn in the flesh was not motivated by some selfish desire. He probably thought that the removal of this problem would help in spreading the gospel or being a more productive Christian. In like manner, we might sincerely pray:

• If I could just find a faithful Christian to marry, I could do more for the Lord.
• If I just had better health.
• If I just had a better job, I could do more, contribute more, help others, etc…
• If I was just a little smarter, I could be a better personal worker and could answer people’s questions more efficiently.

1 Corinthians 7:21-24

“Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that”

I can see slaves who were converted to Christ thinking that they could do more for the kingdom if they were no longer slaves, and yet God says, “Do not worry about it”. That is, being in that condition does not prevent you from being a faithful Christian. If the opportunity arises to gain your freedom, seize it, but do not waste a lot of time thinking that your present condition is a big hindrance. So if you have a chance to marry a faithful Christian, take it. If you can improve your health, do it. If a better job offer arises, move forward. If you can improve your intellectual skills, then do that. Yet realize that there are currently all sorts of opportunities to teach others and set a good example right where you are (Titus 2:10).

But My Prayer is not for Me

There are many faithful Christians that I have known over the years who have been praying the same prayer for decades. They are not asking for something that is outside of God’s will (1 John 5:14). They are not asking for a trial to be removed. The prayer isn’t really about them, it is about others. They have been earnestly praying that a loved one, friend, parent, spouse or child return or come to God. Like Paul, they are heart-broken over the lost condition of those whom they dearly love (Romans 9:1-3). Clearly it is God’s will that such people be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Yet, it could be that even after many, many years the person for whom we have been praying seems no closer to repentance. How do we handle a situation like that?

• God is also heart-broken over their lost condition. God desires that they would repent (2 Peter 3:9). It is a holy privilege to identify with God by grieving alongside Him.
• They have freewill, so in the end, no one can choose for them (Joshua 24:15), and you are not responsible for how they use their freewill.
• Yet I can pray that God would continue to be patient with them and give them more time.
• I can pray that God would bring good influences into their lives and timely conversations.
• After reading the Bible, and especially books such as the book of Esther, we understand that behind the scenes all sorts of amazing things are happening.
• If the unprofitable servant Onesimus just happened to run into the apostle Paul in Rome (Philemon 10-11), then we know that our lost loved ones will probably run into people who will seek to bring them back to God. I can have the confidence that God is not leaving them alone in their rebellion. That from time to time thoughts of Him, reminders of the truth they were taught, and other members are of the church are coming in and out of their lives.
• Just recently I talked with a man whose son is no longer faithful. This son was sitting around a campfire one night with another friend, both of them just happened to be former members of the church, and talked about how much they missed the singing they remembered. So at that campfire they just started singing various gospel songs. So keep praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.com
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net