There have been times in my life when I have wrestled with the problem of unanswered prayer. One time, I had created a terrible problem for myself because of my bad decisions. I was almost embarrassed to ask God for help. And more recently, a dear friend believed a lie from the enemy about me. She believed the lie for months.
In those situations, I asked God for help. Nothing happened. God answers prayer 3 ways: yes, no and wait. "No" was not an option in my situations, some of my making and some not. One day I was asking for help when I remembered Psalm 23: 3. I believe that the Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse: "He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name."
Many times in OT times, God says, "For the sake of my name, I will.........." I quoted God's word to Him and asked Him to help me, if for no other reason than the sake of His name. My life began to turn around from that point.
This last occasion was not my fault. I searched my heart and asked God to show me the truth. The person who claimed that I had a particular problem has spiritual gifts and is rarely wrong. I received no confirmation that the problem was real. Nothing I did or said could change her mind. Eventually I prayed that God would reveal the truth for the sake of His kingdom. My friend and I have been working together for years. That had come to a stop. The Lord spoke to her and revealed to her that she had believed a lie. We are in harmony once more and I am delighted - and relieved.
Brethren, perhaps you have an impossible situation and God seems not to care. That's not true. Sometimes we are asking with motives that are not right:
James 4: "You do not have, because you do not ask. 3And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures." In context, this is more to do with material things, but the principle applies to life in general.
God answered my prayer when I said that I needed my friend to be in harmony for the sake of His kingdom. My appeal because I was hurt, my request because she is my friend, those kinds of prayers were not answered. But when I asked for God's help for His glory, His Kingdom and His name's sake, the answer was immediate.
If you are facing a problem that seems to have no solution, you can ask Him to help on the same basis.
In those situations, I asked God for help. Nothing happened. God answers prayer 3 ways: yes, no and wait. "No" was not an option in my situations, some of my making and some not. One day I was asking for help when I remembered Psalm 23: 3. I believe that the Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse: "He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name."
Many times in OT times, God says, "For the sake of my name, I will.........." I quoted God's word to Him and asked Him to help me, if for no other reason than the sake of His name. My life began to turn around from that point.
This last occasion was not my fault. I searched my heart and asked God to show me the truth. The person who claimed that I had a particular problem has spiritual gifts and is rarely wrong. I received no confirmation that the problem was real. Nothing I did or said could change her mind. Eventually I prayed that God would reveal the truth for the sake of His kingdom. My friend and I have been working together for years. That had come to a stop. The Lord spoke to her and revealed to her that she had believed a lie. We are in harmony once more and I am delighted - and relieved.
Brethren, perhaps you have an impossible situation and God seems not to care. That's not true. Sometimes we are asking with motives that are not right:
James 4: "You do not have, because you do not ask. 3And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures." In context, this is more to do with material things, but the principle applies to life in general.
God answered my prayer when I said that I needed my friend to be in harmony for the sake of His kingdom. My appeal because I was hurt, my request because she is my friend, those kinds of prayers were not answered. But when I asked for God's help for His glory, His Kingdom and His name's sake, the answer was immediate.
If you are facing a problem that seems to have no solution, you can ask Him to help on the same basis.
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