I thank God for unanswered prayers. Romans 8.26-27

“Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers

Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers…”  Can’t you just hear Garth’s sweet croon?

‘Not really sure why it makes it more ‘country’ to use bad grammar—‘hmmm . . . can’t imagine why some folks think country singers are just a bunch of hicks… but what about the theology of the lyrics—is it correct?

It depends.  I believe that God hears all of our prayers, and I believe he answers them, too—just not always the way we want—or when we want.  And sometimes, his answer to us is ‘no’; but a ‘no’ is still an answer, isn’t it?  Look with me again at these two powerful verses:

Romans 8.26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

What does Paul mean by ‘we do not know what we ought to pray for’?  The reality is that we cannot see around the corner, we cannot see into the future, and we often do not know what would be for our ultimate good.  So the fact that the Spirit prays for us is critical … do you see that?  Did you know that Socrates actually taught his disciples simply to pray for good things, and not to specify them, but to leave God to decide what the good things were?1

Put another way, “We cannot know our own real need; we cannot with our finite minds grasp God’s plan; in the last analysis all that we can bring to God is an inarticulate sigh which the Spirit will translate to God for us.”2

You know this to be true … times when you prayed that such and such a thing would happen, and it didn’t; but as you look back, it was a good thing it didn’t!  You couldn’t know then, you couldn’t see the outcome, but God did, Christian.  And as for the times that you prayed that God would remove the ‘trial’ or great pain in your life, and he didn’t, do you not see that it was then that you grew in your faith—then that you grew in your trust of the God who carried you? 

Indeed, that is why Paul could write that God works all things for good to those who love him.  See, if a man trusts God—really believes that God’s heart toward him is good—then he can truly accept all that God allows to come into his life.  It is why Job could say, ‘The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ 

The Stoic believed that nothing could happen to a man which did not come from God and which was not part of God’s plan for him.  Epictetus, second century Stoic philosopher wrote, “Have courage to look up to God and to say, ‘Deal with me as thou wilt from now on.  I am as one with thee; I am thine; I flinch from nothing so long as thou think that it is good.  Lead me where thou wilt; put on me what raiment thou wilt.  Wouldst thou have me hold office or eschew it, stay or flee, be rich or poor?   For this I will defend thee before men.’” 

How about you?  Do you pray for simple things, or do you tell God every jot and tittle you want him to do and bring to pass for you – or do you trust your way to him, knowing that his heart toward you is always good?  There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way”.3

Oh, I am so glad that I can entrust myself to the God who knows, who sees—not just now, but in the age to come, and who loves me more than I will ever be able to understand.  I am thankful that he helps me in my weakness—that he hears and answers my prayers, as HE SEES FIT, and not according to my oft-times whimsical, and other-times fickle, and almost always self-centered will. 

Christine

podcast:

1  William Barclay, who quoted Xenophon, a Greek historian and contemporary of Socrates

2  C.H. Dodd is recognized as one of the great New Testament scholars of the twentieth century. Dr. Dodd was for many years Professor of New Testament at Cambridge University.

3  C.S. Lewis