What happens when God doesn't answer our prayer like we want?

[Book of Jeremiah]

I found this. I hope it helps some in trying to understand how these three boys, Eyal, Naftali and Galid were found slain today. I am deeply grieved over this news. I believed God with all of my heart that these boys would be rescued. We should all keep these mothers and the family, friends, loved ones of these boys in our prayers. My heart goes out to the families today. Rest in peace, Eyal, Naftali, and Galid.


What Happens When God Doesn't Answer Prayer Like We Want?





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What Happens When God Doesn't Answer Prayer Like We Want?
By Mardean Martindale

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

God sees the bigger picture. He sees the beginning to the end. He knows what will accomplish His purposes.

Herschel often tells the story of how his mother prayed that Herschel wouldn't re-enlist and go back into the Army for a second time. His first stint in the service was straight after his high school graduation. He had started drinking alcohol quite heavily and not living as she thought he should. Later, he went on to college and graduated in three years, but continued in a wrong lifestyle. He could have gone into the Reserves, but he was offered the opportunity to re-enlist and go to the Navy School of Music to join the Fourth Army Band. Herschel's mother started praying he wouldn't re-enlist and be part of the Reserves instead. He did re-enlist, but it was while he was at the Navy School of Music that he became a Christian, and his life was transformed. Because the Korean War had broken out, if Herschel had stayed in the Reserves, he would have been drafted with the rest of his unit. Almost his entire unit was sent to Korea and most were killed. God spared Herschel's life and transformed the rest of his life.

Herschel's mother's prayers were answered, but not the way she expected. That's why we need to pray according to HIS will! God knows the future, and we don't. When God revealed to Hezekiah that he would die, he pleaded with God to spare his life. God did. In the 15 years that followed, Manasseh was born, became king, and it was a tragedy!

We are concerned to see our nation turn to God. The economy is bad, and it seems like things are not going as we feel they should. God knows what it takes to turn His people back to Him. God can answer our prayers and yet send leanness to our souls! God wants His people to humble themselves before Him and recognize Him as who He is, but only He knows what will accomplish that. We pray for our children. We pray for our nation. We pray for our leaders. But sometimes, God answers differently than what we expect or even want.

We planned to go to Chile as missionaries. We sold all we had, including our car. Herschel took the Wycliffe course and went on to Dallas Theological Seminary. Then, we were rejected for lack of experience! We wondered why, when we were trying to obey God in reaching His world. God knew what He wanted to do in our lives and changed our plans. Of course, God knows best, but it's easier to see later than at the time. More people turn to God through trials than through blessing. God so often blessed Israel, but they would then turn back to idols. God would have to punish them and restoration happened. Will not the God of all the earth do what is right? He wants us to humble ourselves before Him and intercede for our mates, children, church, and nation. Above all, God desires our fellowship, for that is one reason He created mankind in the first place. Is God interested in politics? We may think our future is determined by the Republican or Democratic Party, but God says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases." (Prov. 21:1) We can and must trust Him.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Good article speaking to this from the Jewish perspective,

God Is Not a Vending Machine

To sum up (short article) sometimes God answers prayers with "no."

 

[Avatar4321]

Exercise faith and do what He wants us to do instead. Or if the answer is you can do many things, use your best judgment and act in faith.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Good article speaking to this from the Jewish perspective,

God Is Not a Vending Machine

To sum up (short article) sometimes God answers prayers with "no."

I have always despised the very thought of it, Delta. I have not sought Gods hand but His face.

With that said, I prayed from my heart for the boys. I came with a clean heart to petition Him with my request and yet still the report came back yesterday that the boys were slain. I cannot deny I was expecting the report of their rescue because truly that was the only report I was expecting and hoping to receive it sooner rather than later.

Opening that thread yesterday was like a sword going straight through me. Yet though he slay me I will trust him, said Job and I agree with Job. I do trust God and am not questioning my faith in Him which cannot be questioned because I know my Redeemer lives! Yet this is surely on the minds of many today and so with that I want to tell you what I believe the Lord has given me about this.

I believe the prayers that have been brought forth for these three boys have not been wasted. I believe the prayers, fasting and weeping has united Israel and drawn His people closer to G-d than at any other time in a very long time. I believe the hearts of His people have been prepared through fastings and weeping and much prayer and they are now being prepared for the day of battle that is at hand.

I believe that which my dear friend and mentor told me years ago has come to pass again. He told me that out of the ovens of Auchwitz, Israel was reborn. I tell you today I believe out of the deaths of these three boys those who have called upon the LORD have had their faith reborn and they shall see the Hand of the Lord move mightily on their behalf. For whosoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.

We are entering the hour of Joel 2 and God shall prove Himself to His people that He is here in the midst of us and shall hide us in the great and terrible day of the Lord. Only with our eyes shall we see the reward of the wicked. Yes, the wicked are a ransom for the righteous and the transgressor for the upright. - Proverbs 21: 18

Be blessed, Delta.

 

[MaxGrit]

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

 

[emilynghiem]

Dear [MENTION=40845]Jeremiah[/MENTION]
the best book I've found that explains the different types of prayers is
HEALING by Francis MacNutt

Most prayer is to prepare one's own heart and mind to receive and be at peace with God's plan that is always in charge.

Some prayers are to ask forgiveness and removal of something we can't let go of.

Usually that kind of healing is enough to stop this business of being attached to some outcome we cannot control.
The point of our spiritual process is to learn to let go of conditions, to accept unconditional love and faith,
not faith that depends on seeing a certain outcome or reward. We are learning love for lovesake, and truth no matter
what the answers comes out to be, not for rewarding us with what we think we want.

We can pray to be aligned with God's will, and for clarity and wisdom to do what is God's will.
But we cannot expect to pray to dictate a certain outcome as if we are in charge of the process, that is backwards.

Even Jesus could not pray for God to take the cup away. If it is meant to be, we pray for ability to do what needs to be done, given what cannot be changed.

Most prayer I focus on now is forgiveness to remove negative blocks preventing us from seeing, speaking, and acting in agreement. The point is to align our free will with God's will and trusting that is designed by nature to be the highest good.

NOTE: as for bad things that happen, most of these are results of past issues not forgiven that are repeating in retribution. So again focusing on forgiveness and healing of these areas would cover most issues. We cannot change the cycles that are still working themselves out.

We can focus on steps we can take to break negative patterns or cycles in our relationships.

Then, collectively, whatever peace we make in LOCAL relationships we DO have control in, then this becomes world peace on a GLOBAL scale.

So whatever we cannot control, like feeling sorrow repentance or forgiveness when we look at foreign disasters and tragedies out of our immediate reach,
we use that to motivate ourselves to do more LOCALLY to prevent that in our own lives. By forgiving and breaking the cycle of abuse retribution that otherwise perpetuates crime and violence. We focus locally in our own hearts minds, lives and relationships where we CAN forgive and heal and bring more peace and love to follow God's will; and collectively have faith this same process multiplies to effect similar change worldwide.

We trust since we are joined in Christ then whatever we forgive and correct and improve
in ourselves locally, collectively inspires others to do more of the same, so the effect is multiplied.

I found this. I hope it helps some in trying to understand how these three boys, Eyal, Naftali and Galid were found slain today. I am deeply grieved over this news. I believed God with all of my heart that these boys would be rescued. We should all keep these mothers and the family, friends, loved ones of these boys in our prayers. My heart goes out to the families today. Rest in peace, Eyal, Naftali, and Galid.


What Happens When God Doesn't Answer Prayer Like We Want?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Happens When God Doesn't Answer Prayer Like We Want?
By Mardean Martindale

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

God sees the bigger picture. He sees the beginning to the end. He knows what will accomplish His purposes.

Herschel often tells the story of how his mother prayed that Herschel wouldn't re-enlist and go back into the Army for a second time. His first stint in the service was straight after his high school graduation. He had started drinking alcohol quite heavily and not living as she thought he should. Later, he went on to college and graduated in three years, but continued in a wrong lifestyle. He could have gone into the Reserves, but he was offered the opportunity to re-enlist and go to the Navy School of Music to join the Fourth Army Band. Herschel's mother started praying he wouldn't re-enlist and be part of the Reserves instead. He did re-enlist, but it was while he was at the Navy School of Music that he became a Christian, and his life was transformed. Because the Korean War had broken out, if Herschel had stayed in the Reserves, he would have been drafted with the rest of his unit. Almost his entire unit was sent to Korea and most were killed. God spared Herschel's life and transformed the rest of his life.

Herschel's mother's prayers were answered, but not the way she expected. That's why we need to pray according to HIS will! God knows the future, and we don't. When God revealed to Hezekiah that he would die, he pleaded with God to spare his life. God did. In the 15 years that followed, Manasseh was born, became king, and it was a tragedy!

We are concerned to see our nation turn to God. The economy is bad, and it seems like things are not going as we feel they should. God knows what it takes to turn His people back to Him. God can answer our prayers and yet send leanness to our souls! God wants His people to humble themselves before Him and recognize Him as who He is, but only He knows what will accomplish that. We pray for our children. We pray for our nation. We pray for our leaders. But sometimes, God answers differently than what we expect or even want.

We planned to go to Chile as missionaries. We sold all we had, including our car. Herschel took the Wycliffe course and went on to Dallas Theological Seminary. Then, we were rejected for lack of experience! We wondered why, when we were trying to obey God in reaching His world. God knew what He wanted to do in our lives and changed our plans. Of course, God knows best, but it's easier to see later than at the time. More people turn to God through trials than through blessing. God so often blessed Israel, but they would then turn back to idols. God would have to punish them and restoration happened. Will not the God of all the earth do what is right? He wants us to humble ourselves before Him and intercede for our mates, children, church, and nation. Above all, God desires our fellowship, for that is one reason He created mankind in the first place. Is God interested in politics? We may think our future is determined by the Republican or Democratic Party, but God says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases." (Prov. 21:1) We can and must trust Him.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

I too have my teachers of prayer, Emily. King David, Jesus, Abraham, Moses, Hannah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Timothy, Paul and my prayer partner - the One who helps me to pray, the One who teaches me all things - The Spirit of the Lord. I do not need any man to teach me the things of the Lord. God is my deliverer, my healer, my provider, my teacher. Not man.

I believe that when the Spirit of the Lord draws a person to Jesus and that one is born again and baptized in the Holy Ghost they need no human to assist them. Perhaps christians books ( not new age though ) serve their purpose for the beginning of a journey - like a sailboat may row in shallow water to reach the deep but once the sail is set who needs books written by men ( oars ) when you have the Wind of the Spirit to take you wherever you are going and are abiding in Jesus with His Word abiding in you?

To equip you, to protect you to even be your rear guard in the storms of life? Would you throw an anchor in the shallow waters near shore for fear of a storm out in the deep when you know the Master is in the boat with you? What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail, Emily?

Would you be willing to let go of the praises of men for the praises of God? Would you be willing to obey the teachings of the bible and throw out the false teachings of the new age religionists who are seeking global peace by denying Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Holy Bible? Would you be willing to let go of the 1,2, 3's, the ideas of men and their mechanics which opppose the Spirit of God and His freedom to move as He will?

Would you be willing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior so that you could be saved? You cannot teach others about Jesus if you do not know him yourself.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, Emily.

Shalom.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Emily, the Lord gave me a question for you. Are you willing to be hated of all nations for his name's sake? If you are willing, he is ready to save you right now. I'll be keeping you in prayer tonight.