Unanswered Prayers

All of us at some point in our lives have asked God for something, whether it is for good grades on a test, or for a sick friend or family member to heal. Sometimes God answers our prayers, but sometimes it feels like he doesn't answer our prayers. Matthew 7:7-8 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Now the first part of this verse talks about asking and receiving an answer. Now there are three ways to answer a question, yes, no, and wait. Now how many of us love to receive the "yes" answer, and we don't like to receive the "no" or "wait" answer. The thing is that when we receive an answer that we don't like we often overlook the answer we have been given, in hope for a better answer, leaving us with a feeling that God doesn't answer our prayers. But God answers all of our prayers, just not always with the answer that we want, at the time that we want. In the Bible study that I go to at my school, we were talking about this and one of the guys, Corwin, said, "We need to look for the reason, and not for the yes." When all we search for the yes, we miss the answer that God gave us. We should instead be looking for the reason why God gave the answer that he did, and you will find it as it says in Matthew 7:7. It isn't easy to find and we may not always understand it at first, but God has a legit reason why he gave his answer. God knows your past, he sees what is going on in the present, and he knows what will happen in the future. God knows intimately more about a situation then we, and even if it seems good for us, God knows what is best for us. We need to believe that his plan for us, and he has a good reason for giving us the answer that he did.

Now a common way that this can apply to our lives, is through our grades. We have all had a point in our lives where we wanted to get a good grade on a test, or get the extra credit to raise our overall grade. Trust I have done it too, and when I don't get the grade that I want, or the grade that I think I deserve, it is infuriating. The thing is that God has showed me some amazing lessons through him not saying yes to all my pleas for good grades. Over the past couple of years I have learned perseverance, and patience. I have learned to stand up for myself, and the ability to present my side of the argument. God used my grades to show me that I am so much more than a number that they put on a piece of paper. If God would have said "yes" every time I asked for a good grade, then I would end up finding my identity in my schooling, and not in God. Take this example, and be encourage to search for the reason behind God's answers and not for the "yes," because the reasons are better, and they are there for our best interest.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for knowing my heart, and what is best for me. When I pray and I present my request to you, help me to not just wait for the "yes," but to seek the reason behind your answer. I know that you are on our side, and that you wouldn't do anything to hurt us, and thank you so much for that. Amen.