When God says "No"

Every week I get a short meditation from evangelist Luis Palau. Luis came to New London County a few years back for a regional "Festival." He was great and I signed up for his newsletter. It keeps me informed as to how and where God is using him. It also speaks to my heart through these brief devotionals.

Today's devotional was especially pertinent because I recently met a young woman who was going through a difficult time. She was praying to God with all her heart. She told me it seemed to her that God wasn't listening because her prayers weren't being answered.

Luis has something to say about that. He talks about the fact that sometimes God says "No" to our prayer requests. Even if we think what we want is best, God has something better for us.

Luis says,

Do you believe that God hears your prayers? And if He hears them, do you believe that He answers them? This week, we'll look at five specific ways God answers prayer. Not just mine but yours too!

The first is the answer we most dread. It's when God says, "No, my child, I love you too much." It's hard when God says "no" to our heartfelt requests. Have you experienced this? I certainly have. Take, for example, when my friend Diane started losing her hearing. When my mother-in-law came down with polio. When my father died. God said "no" to each of my requests, leaving me wrestling with the reality of His "no" answer.

In the Psalms in the Bible, many times David cries out to God to answer his prayers. But if God answers with "no," does that mean we shouldn't bother to pray? No! Just the opposite. The Bible tells us, "to be patient in affliction" and "faithful in prayer."

Whom do you know who may feel as though God is saying "no" to them? Be an encouragement for them. Continue to remind them of Christ's unending love, even through the hard times. Tell them that even through the storms, God is there and wants to draw near.

If you would like to sign up for his newsletter you can go to http://www.palau.org/resources/e-newsletter

Cal