Monday Morning Manna: When God Says No

When we get that for which we pray, we say God answered our prayer. When we fail to get that for which we pray, we say, God didn’t answer our prayer. Is it possible that God answered your prayer by saying, “no?” When some would-be followers of Jesus requested to first bury their father, the answer was, “no” (Luke 9:57-62). When a mother requested of Jesus to let her sons sit in places of prominence in the kingdom, the answer was “no” (Matthew 20:20-23). When Jesus asked the Father to postpone the cross, the answer was “no” (Matthew 26:39). When Paul asked to have his “thorn in the flesh” removed, the answer was “no” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). Sometimes God’s answer to our prayer request is negative, because we “ask amiss” (James 4:3). In other words, we do not see the big picture as God does. God’s answers always reflect the good of the kingdom, over the good of the individual who is praying. In his book, “Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God,” Pastor Timothy Keller writes, “God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knows.” So what do you do when God says “No?” Give thanks. God heard your prayer and responded. Pray to any other god and you get zero answer. Allow God to teach you through the “no” answer. Pray again. God loves persistence (Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-5).

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.