Questions and Answers

Q: Why does God not answer some prayers of his faithful children? A: But he does! He answers every prayer his faithful children pray. True, he does not always say “Yes.” Often times his answer is, “No.” But, the “No” is as much an answer to the petition as the “Yes,” and springs from the same motive. When a child, for example, because of its immaturity, makes a request of its parents which, for the child’s welfare, they must refuse, their refusal is to grant the specific request is not a disregard of the child’s petition; it is an answer to it, and an answer based on considerations for the child’s own good. Our Lord promised, “Ask, and it shall be given you…” a promise, in principle, taught throughout the New Testament, but bestowed within the framework of our own best interests. When we make requests of God which would not be for our good; or, when we ask for a small blessing when he intends to give us a greater one, and thus withholds the specific request, this is by no means a disregard of the petition, but an answer grounded in our good. So it is and so should we always regard it, and be content with the divine wisdom evidenced in such cases. We must always remember that God is the only proper judge of our needs, and to keep our requests, as far as we are able to do so, within the sphere of his will. John said, “And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him,” (1 John 5:14,15).