Somebody once said, “Be grateful that God does not answer all your prayers.” All too often, we get upset when we sincerely pray for something and don’t get it. We wonder if God is angry with us; if He might be ignoring us; and worse if He perhaps does not love us.

    God always answers our prayers. It is just that sometimes the answer is, “Not now.” And there are times when the answer is, ‘yes,’ but not the way you want it.” And then there are times when He simply gives us a silent, “No.”

    “No” is an answer even if it is an answer we do not like to hear because it frustrates us. Nobody feels good about a refusal. To be denied implies rejection. Even when we know we know we are loved, to be refused a request hurts, even if we know, deep in our hearts, that the beloved denying us does so out of love.

    And if we happen to be spoiled by a loved one who bent to our every whim, then God’s refusal to give us what we want can cause us to turn against Him and reject Him in return.

    God isn’t a yes man. He gives us what we need, when we need it and how we need it. That may not jive with what we want. We often ask for what we think will benefit us, but does not. Things we want, but are not good for us. Like the child who keeps wanting to eat burgers at Mc. Donalds even if he is overweight. When his parents try to control his eating habits, he gets furious and rebels against them. He wants his burgers regardless of how they are detrimental to his health.

    The immature believer will besiege heaven with request that may not make sense to God. Like the student who doesn’t like to study during the semester and when exam time comes around, he prays like crazy asking God to help him pass. He flunks and blames God for not answering his prayers and neglecting Him. God isn’t mother who spoiled him rotten by letting him have his way.

    I repeated grade four because I never studied. I knew better even at that young age not to ask God for a free pass. I was quite sure I would fail and I was correct and got what I deserved.

    I remember a woman who cheated on her husband and then prayed to the Lord that the man would never know. When he learned of her affair, she felt she was betrayed by God!

    If we are spiritually mature, we know that God is steady in His love for us. He never will kick us around. He doesn’t have to. We do a good job getting ourselves into all sorts of trouble. If we trust Him, we will pray and accept His response to our prayers regardless of what it is. Then we will remain quiet in His love.