GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS IN HIS DIVINE PURPOSE AND OUR HIGHEST GOOD
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We can be sure our prayers are answered precisely in the way we would want them to be answered if we knew everything God knows. – Tim Keller, Theologian –
God always hears our prayers… and He always answers… perhaps not always in the way we expect. Our omniscient God knows us intimately. Our Creator knows our every thought, our every need, our every trial. Nothing is hidden from Him. He may not answer our petitions in the way we would like. Yet that is because His wisdom is infinite… and ours is finite.
We may at times act as Creator. Believing that circumstances or events should progress a certain way, we step in and take over for the God of the universe, rather than taking our ideas to Him in prayer. The outcome is not always positive. In fact, we may make quite a mess of things.
Our almighty Father sees all from His eternal perspective. We see only from a worldly perspective, unable to see all the pieces of the “puzzle”. So much more is at stake than we realize. We need to trust the outcome of our prayers to our wise, all-knowing God.
Our Father awaits our prayers. Jesus is seated at His right hand interceding on our behalf. We have their loving attention and compassionate concern. Amazing to have such an audience when we pray!
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:7
3 Ways God Answers Our Prayers
♦ Yes – This is in My will for you
→ Our prayers may be answered with a resounding “yes!” Perhaps God was even waiting for us to ask so He could bless us with His answer. Notice there are caveats. If we are abiding in Him… our thoughts, intentions and actions are closely in tune with His. And if His words abide in us… we are obedient to Him and are living for His glory.
In Revelation, incense is symbolic of the prayers of the saints, God’s people (Revelation 5:8). When our prayers are offered in reverence and awe before a holy God, with hearts clean and right, they are like fragrant incense to Him. When our petitions align with His will, His timing and His eternal purpose, He delights in granting our requests.
Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord! – Psalm 27:14
♦ Wait – Wait and see – Wait on Me
→ Our prayers may be in God’s will, yet not His timing. He may be working behind the scenes to put all the pieces of the “puzzle” together. Even when we fail to see evidence of Him working, He is orchestrating all according to His time frame and His divine purpose.
→ Our prayers may be in His timing, yet not exactly His will. As we persist in prayer, we gain His insight into our requests. We come to better understand the mind of God. Our perspective and our prayers change, coming more closely into harmony with Him and His plans for us. We allow Him to refashion our desires, bringing them into alignment with His will.
→ Our prayers may be delayed to deepen our faith. As we faithfully pray our petitions, we see our God as the God of the impossible. We come to a deeper awareness of our need for Him and His intervention to bring our prayers to fruition. This waiting time allows us to more fully appreciate the answers to our prayers when they arrive.
Waiting on God can be trying. Yet it is not a reason to give up praying. We are to be courageous and strong in prayer, patiently awaiting His answers. Our all-knowing Father has His wise reasons for delay. He knows we will grow in patience and perseverance as we wait.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:9
♦ No – I have something far better in store for you
→ Our prayers may not be in God’s will. We may not understand why… yet He is our faithful God and we trust in His decision. He has already lived all our tomorrows. What He has planned for us is for our highest good. We are a part of His eternal purpose… and answers to our prayers must align with this divine plan. Often, He has something mapped out for us that is far better than our petitions. A “no” could open up new and exciting blessings in our lives.
God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28
Our Father always hears the prayers of His children. His answers are the absolute best for us. As we persist in prayer, we come to hear Him more clearly, better comprehending His ways. Our thoughts come into harmony with His thoughts. Our petitions come into alignment with His will and His purpose. In whatever way God chooses to answer our prayers, we can have absolute trust in His perfect wisdom. Into His loving hands, we place our lives and our future.
† Eternal Takeaway – We can trust our omniscient God to wisely answer all our prayers †
