Tuesday – Luke 22:42

“We shall come one day to a heaven where we shall gratefully know that God’s great refusals were sometimes the true answers to our truest prayers.”     — P.T. Forsyth

Why are all of the prayers offered in faith not answered in the affirmative? God is a perfect Heavenly Father. And like earthly parents, his answers to our questions are, “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” Like earthly parents, God sees and knows things that his children do not. Unlike earthly parents, God’s wisdom and eternal view give him a perspective we can never understand. In addition, God is always working to fulfill his plan and purposes. As believers, we are a part of an intricately woven fabric of life, history, and God’s purposes and plans. In light of this, there are times when we must trust God knows what is best and we do not. When we face times our prayers seem unanswered or when God’s answer doesn’t seem to make sense, we must ask ourselves a question. What or who is the object of our faith? Is our faith in God or is our faith in God answering prayers the way we want? God will be no less than he is, holding some things in tension. He is God and we are not. Our relationship with him is worth leaving some questions unanswered. And in these times, we can know we are in very good company. Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane wasn’t answered in the way he wanted. But he submitted his will to the will of God.