It’s easy to say thank you when prayers come with speedy answers, and you seamlessly move into the gratitude phase. But when you invest time in prayer and it seems like you get nothing for it, disappointment creeps in, and faith gradually flies out the window. Chances are, you might have felt that way before, or perhaps you’re feeling it now.
- What do you do with the feelings of disappointment you have?
- What does God’s silence mean?
- How do you keep your faith up when it appears like there is no result after prayer?
- Join me as we explore those thoughts together.
Whenever you feel disappointed, remember Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God does not reveal the full details of His plans, which is where the place of trust comes in. In Genesis 13, the workmen of Abraham and Lot were in constant strife. To resolve this, Abraham asked Lot to choose the part of the Jordan Valley that he wanted. Lot chose the side that looked most fertile and well-watered because that was what he could see with his physical eyes. However, what he did not know was that He had just chosen to settle in the land of Sodom, where the people were wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord. A few years down the line, the Lord destroyed the place, and Lot had to flee, leaving some of his treasures behind, and tragically losing His wife in this process. Could you take a moment to imagine what Abraham must have felt when Lot first chose the most fertile part? His initial reaction might have been that He had just lost a potentially strong factor in the success of his agricultural business because he now had to do business in a less fertile land.
The bottom line is that sometimes, when things don’t go the way we desire, it could be a blessing in disguise. Possible reasons your prayers might go unanswered are:
- God wants you to build the capacity and character you need to receive the answer to your prayer.
- The timing is wrong
- God wants to give you a more significant testimony.
- God has something better planned for you
In all you do, trust that God loves you and His plans for you are perfect. He sees what we do not see and knows what we do not know.
Isaiah 55:8-9 – [8] “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. [9] For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Sometimes, the greatest blessings come wrapped in God’s silence. Philip was going to invest in a business he thought would change his life positively. He had done his due diligence, and it looked like it was a good venture. However, he needed to pay $10,000 for it, but he was only able to gather $7,000 after taking some loans from friends in addition to his life savings. He prayed and prayed for God to provide the remaining $3,000, but it never happened. He was frustrated with God, but it was not long before he discovered that it was a fraudulent deal that could have drained his life savings and left him in debt.
If you trust God enough to answer your prayers, why not trust Him enough to do what’s best for you.
Some hidden blessings in God’s silence are:
- Delays that develop patience and deeper faith. James 1:2-4
- Breakups in relationships that could have wrecked your life.
- The loss of a job that redirects you to live out your purpose, or start something even bigger.
Remember that God’s “no” can be an expression of His mercy. In those seasons when God seems quiet, it’s a call to deeper intimacy. The time might not be now, but delay does not directly translate to denial.
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