Thank God for Unanswered Prayer – Part 2

In Romans 9, Paul lamented that all of the children of Israel that God had called had rejected him.  When God promised Abraham and Sarah a son to be the progenitors of many nations, they thought that God would not keep his promise.  They thought that they would help God by having a son through Sarah's handmaiden Hagar. However, God's mercy always overcomes the weakness of mankind's unbelief.  When Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, they had their son Isaac through God's power.

God often raised up unbelievers to punish Israel when they fell into unbelief and turned their backs on God. Jeremiah 18:1-11 states, Doesn't the potter have the right over the clay to make the vessel according to his own purpose? God's justice is never fair according to man's own limited perspective. But, it is fair. Even though we don't understand His plan, we still trust His nature. God's nature is loving kindness and tender mercy. He is a sovereign God of grace.  

In 1 Corinthiansis another example of unanswered prayer. Paul prayed to God three times to remove a "thorn in his flesh." Jesus said to his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, "Watch and pray lest you fall into temptation." Like Jesus, Paul went to the Lord three times to remove his thorn in the flesh. God's answer to Paul's prayer was "no."  God said, "My strength is made perfect in your weakness, My grace is sufficient for you."

The saving grace in the Garden of Gethsemane was for God not to deliver him from the storm, but to deliver him through the storm.  As Oswald Chambers said, "When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his men to be the reliable ones”. God relies on His men and women to pray, "nevertheless, not my will but thine be done."  

God exhorts us to "watch and pray lest you fall into temptation." We are watching and praying for God's will to be done in our life and in the world. When God says, "no”, or "wait" we come to understand that prayer is aligning my heart with God's heart. He's a good, good Father. His nature is love, grace, and mercy. One thing I have come to know for sure: there is a God and I am not He. Thou art the potter, I am the clay ... nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

May God richly bless you!

Your brother in Christ, Michael