April 6, 2005


When God Doesn’t Answer My Prayers?


Have you ever prayed and prayed for something you know is in the will 
of God, is a very legitimate need – not a want – a real need?  You pray 
without ceasing, with thanksgiving and believing God to honor His 
promise to answer your prayers when you pray in Jesus name.  Ever been 
there?  I’m sure every Christian can identify with those times when the 
heavens seem made of brass and God is out to lunch or taking a nap whenever 
I call.  We are desperate for God’s intervention, but He seems 
uninterested or at least very, very, very quiet.

Well dear ones, confession time for me.  I have been right in the 
middle of that scenario for several months now, and though God has several 
times encouraged me from His word, has yet to resolve the “crisis” that 
I’m praying about.  Time deadlines have come and gone and still God has 
not provided the “miracle” needed to resolve my need.

And then when I was really at an all time low, during that quiet time 
when I was attempting to know God, as I discussed in last month’s 
Parson’s Wife, He spoke ever so quietly telling me “fear not”!  Wow, that was 
not exactly the Word I wanted to hear!  But then in reading in Luke the 
next day I read about Jarius coming and asking Jesus to come home with 
him, for his 12 year daughter is dying.  In route Jesus is delayed by 
the crowd and the healing of the women with the issue of blood; Jarius’ 
servant comes to tell him that there is no need to bother the Master 
any further, his daughter has died.   What is Jesus’ immediate response?  
“Fear not; trust in me.”  And then He just goes to Jarius’ home and 
raises the little girl from the dead!!

Well that was easy to read, “Ruthann, fear not; trust in Me.”  That 
helped a lot but still left a gap in my understanding of what God was 
doing, or seemingly NOT doing.  Then last night He put the icing on the 
cake.  Reading in John, Mary sends word to Jesus that Lazarus is sick unto 
death and for Him to please come.  And what did Jesus do?  He delayed 2 
days in departing for Bethany and when He arrives, He tells both Mary 
and Martha to fear not but believe in Him.  By this time Lazarus has 
been dead 4 days.  Timing sound familiar?  And then He raises Lazarus from 
the dead!  What was Jesus’ reason for this delay?  To bring greater 
glory to God!!  

See a trend here?  In both these accounts of Jesus’ ministry He delays 
His “coming” (answering our prayers) until the time is right to perform 
the greater miracle that will give the most glory to God.  Healing the 
child and Lazarus would have been wonderful miracles; but raising them 
from the dead was glorious!!  Again His Spirit affirmed in my heart 
that the delay I’m experiencing is consistent with Jesus’ way when He is 
preparing to answer my prayer in a way to bring the greatest glory to 
God.  Can I wait for that? Yes I can!!  In your time of crisis, can you 
wait?  Yes you can!!

Until next time … love and prayers, 

RuthAnn Gleason, the Parson's Wife
ragleason@sbcglobal.net