You’re a new Christian. You are filled with hope and the promise of great things to come. You now have an ally in your corner that you didn’t have before. You walk with a certain confidence. It’s almost like having a 300 lb bodyguard at your side 24/7. After years of walking around unsupported, you are now ready for anything. Or are you?
It’s true and even reasonable that when you first become a Christian there are expectations of good overcoming evil and right conquering wrong. In general, an air of optimism prevails. And then something happens that throws you off track. You’re sucker punched by events that you didn’t see coming. What was that? I thought I was protected from the negative. Shouldn’t I be immune from liars, evil-doers and pain?
It might seem naive to the average person, especially the long time Christian, but to someone just beginning their journey, it feels like a bonus that automatically comes with taking that first step toward Jesus.
It has been just under a year since I joined the flock. I know that all prayers are not answered, even those pitched with the utmost religious fervor. God doesn’t always give you what you ask for. Why not? Aren’t you deserving? Of course. But the specific answer eludes me. I don’t know why. I do know that when we pray for something, we are unable to see the big picture that God sees. Maybe if we got what we wanted it would prevent something much better from happening. Haven’t you ever prayed for something that you didn’t get? And then down the road, you realized and were grateful that your prayer went unanswered because things turned out much better than they would have had you been given what you wanted.
At the time, it seems like God is ignoring you, or worse, punishing you. But – but – I believed! I read my bible! I prayed often and with an open heart. I trusted Him. What happened? Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Your most sincere and heart-felt prayers aren’t always answered. Sometimes the bad guy wins (at least for the short term). Accept it and move on.
What, as Christians, can we count on with respect to prayer?
1. Sometimes your prayers will be answered
2. Sometimes they won’t be.
3. Sometimes you will ultimately get something better.
4. God will see you through it, whatever “it” is. When you’re on the other end of an unanswered prayer it can be tough to believe that God is working things out for your good or that He is with you every step of the way to provide comfort and peace in your darkest moments.
He’s not a genie in a bottle, nor is He Santa Claus. He is God, our Father in Heaven, here for us, loving us, helping us, unfailingly. And couldn’t that be considered the greatest answered prayer? I believe so.
God bless.