Testimony Tuesday: Unanswered Prayers and Faith

This is in no way what I intended to write about today. In fact, this went a whole different way than I expected. But it is here. Please forgive the mis-capitalization throughout. I typed really fast.

Hebrews 5:7: While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.

Basically, Jesus cried out to God to rescue him from death in a very emotional and deep way, and God heard him, but did not grant his wish. Why? To save our souls... he had a bigger picture in mind.

Take that in for a minute. His SON was pleading and crying out for his FATHER to save him from death... and God said, "No, son, we will continue with my plan."

And that plan? To DIE for OUR sins. OURS.... not his... ours.

I cannot imagine what I would not give to spare my son any torturing or death. Nothing comes to mind that I wouldn't do. I don't even understand the depths of my love for my son.

But he told him no.

So now think about whatever life circumstance you are going through. Is God not answering your prayers? Are you pleading for something that isn't happening? It does sometimes seem that He doesn't hear us. But he does. He hears our cries. And he ultimately he has our best interests at heart and we could never understand fully his love for us.

So we are left with having to trust in our Heavenly Father and not lose faith that He loves us and wants what is best for us.

Verses for illustration:

God never puts on us more than we can bear. (paraphrase from 1 Corinthians 10:13). We hear this all the time but it is true! After going through trials, do you not come out a better person?

Even when we lose faith, God remains faithful. (yet another paraphrase of 2 Timothy 2:13

We walk by faith, not by sight or appearance. 2 Corinthians 5:7

And the kicker... Hebrews 13:8: Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Did he do a good job creating the universe? The stars? The plants? The animals? Has he been faithful to you? Has He ever changed?

No... he hasn't. Why would he stop being faithful to you now?

Just as a baby cries for milk...does the mother instantly have food to give? Or might she have to go make formula, or prep to breastfeed, or might be in another room. The baby doesn't understand though. The baby just knows to cry until he is fed. And though time and time again the mother feeds the baby when he cries, does he still not cry for food?

But just like God shows us His plan in good time (His time...not ours), the mother gives the baby food.

So can you trust that God is in control and knows what He is doing?

Basically, if you believe the above verses, you must use your faith to trust that God has your best intentions at heart and he will deliver in good time.