what do you do when God says 'no'?
Difficult time this week for several in our church family, as a long vigil of intercessory prayer on behalf of someone we love ended in death..... despite so many seeming answers to prayer along the way.....despite so many intercessors believing together.....despite prophetic words.....despite apparent breakthroughs at different points over the five-month struggle.
Last Sunday I talked a bit about the Shunnamite woman and how we sometimes want something so bad that we're afraid to believe for it, because the disappointment of not receiving would be too difficult to handle. But this was different...we were believing....we were praying... we were expecting.
This much I know: we don't know. As believers, we will not always have the answer to every situation that life throws at us. But we can trust.
My wife has pointed out to me that that's really what faith is all about - not just believing God for what we want to receive, but trusting Him even when we don't receive.
It probably doesn't make it any easier for us, but it's the genuine comfort that I know we can stand upon. His grace really is sufficient, and it really is made perfect in our weakness. So keep trusting Him, regardless.....
Last Sunday I talked a bit about the Shunnamite woman and how we sometimes want something so bad that we're afraid to believe for it, because the disappointment of not receiving would be too difficult to handle. But this was different...we were believing....we were praying... we were expecting.
This much I know: we don't know. As believers, we will not always have the answer to every situation that life throws at us. But we can trust.
My wife has pointed out to me that that's really what faith is all about - not just believing God for what we want to receive, but trusting Him even when we don't receive.
It probably doesn't make it any easier for us, but it's the genuine comfort that I know we can stand upon. His grace really is sufficient, and it really is made perfect in our weakness. So keep trusting Him, regardless.....
posted by Pastor Jerry McQuay at 3:34 PM
2 Comments:
Its easy to say praise the Lord when all is well,but when everything falls apart it is very hard to say thank You God or praise the Lord :)
Everytime I am in my lowest point of life,I always remember you and pastor chris' sermons and prayers over me..and it keeps me going,especially before I moved to CA and pastor Doug sent me a card ..its a very encouraging card for me..sometimes we never know how much a person can change others lives,and sometimes when God said NO, the comfort and prayers from other people keeps me going..and one night when I am sad and I asked God why I have to experience this,and God said "How can you comfort others when you dont know what pain and sad feels?" at that moment I understand that sometimes God said NO so that I may bless others from my own experience :)
Regards,
Zindy P
You're right Pastor Jerry, we don't always know the answers. In 1998, one of my mother's best friends was in the hospital. We didn't know if he would make it or not. I prayed to the Lord and he gave me a dream; God had a 5 year plan for him, it wasn't his time to leave. I shared this with my mother and his wife, but much to our dismay he died. I couldn't understand how that could happen. My mother told me to seek the Lord for an answer. I prayed off and on for years. This year (2007)the Lord answered me as I re-read my journal. I don't remember doing it, but in 1998 I wrote down my dream. God revealed the answer, His plan was for an additional 5 years, but my mother's friend had to choose whether he would stay. I am thankful God finally answered that prayer. For years, I had to stand in faith and believe what I had dreamnt in spite of the outcome.
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