God isn't answering my prayers

I woke up this morning thinking about the Garth Brooks song, “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers” and the issue of unanswered prayer. A subject I hear enough from people who are asking why God isn’t answering their prayers.  I can think of some of those prayers. 

Back in grad school we had this discussion one week when a “faith healer” came to town and a number of people did not get healed.  The response from the healing team was that their faith was not strong enough (negating the scripture that one who has the faith the size of a mustard seed), people around them were lacking faith or prayer, or God just didn’t like them for some reason.  Now a pastor a number of us had a battle before us to regain the ground lost because of some charlatan preacher. 

Thursday morning at the men’s group the subject of prayer and in the dialog among us was the question of why does God allow someone to have cancer and others not.  Why are prayers not answered the way we would intend them to be if we are believers and faithful.  Why do bad things happen to good people? A question that has baffled many over the years.

And my response is one that is simple and is faith based, a response I learned from Ian in Lamar, “God is God and I am not”.  We create a god in our image.  We create a Santa Claus that we pray to for things we want.  “I want a new house”, “If you bless me with that new bicycle I will be eternally grateful”, “please heal my mother”.  And in some cases we create a god we can barter with or protest against.  “If you answer this prayer I will go to Africa and minister to the lepers”, or “you didn’t heal my child so I will never go back to church”.

“How can a God of love allow terrible things to happen?”  Excuse me but where is it written that God is all lovy dovy and only grants happy answers?  Seriously, where?  Yes, we do read “of these the greatest is love” and we take that to mean that life will be one Woodstockish love fest and Jesus is handing out dusted doobies to all. 

In another group we just finished looking at Samson, a judge of the people ordained by God.  Not a hero image. In fact he was one crazy SOB.  Is this the guy you want as a son in law?  Gets the town people all up in arms and has your place burned to the ground with your daughter and you in it?  A guy chasing the skirts.  But the guy that destroys the enemy in the end because Samson, once blinded had only time to see God and do his will.

When looking at issues such as cancer or MS or death and wondering why God isn’t answering prayer I have to wonder with some deep introspection if God is answering.  I am reminded of Joni who was injured in a diving “accident” and is paralyzed.  Many a preacher and faith healer pronounced that the reason she was not healed because she lacked faith or people didn’t pray hard enough.  Let me ask you this, would you have known of Joni if she were healed and moved on with her life? Would her testimony and message have the same impact on thousands of people if she went on swimming and diving?  Think about it.

One of the men stated that when his father was going through a crisis he had doubts and questioned God.  His father, a godly man, was suffering and why?  Through this trial he learned that this event was not about his father but about him.  Yes, his father died but watching the faith of his father allowed him to review his own life and what he was missing.  So from death came a blessing and a renewal of life.  But It does not answer the question of why bad things happen to good people.

The song by the Getty’s, “In Christ Alone” has served as an answer to what people who subscribe to the Bible as a series of events beginning with “man’s” fall and booting from the garden.  The proclamation was made by God that now man and woman would suffer, toil, and experience death.  For believers it is necessary and even vital to put your trust in what some in philosophy and other schools of thought have questioned as nonsense.  But for many it is real. 

The pastor asked a question based on a people that because of the fall in the garden are born “bad” and to that why do good things happen to bad people? If we are a fallen people who have a sin nature and are only saved by grace, we have plenty to be thankful for in that much good has come to us. And instead of being angry at God, we should be grateful that we have lived even if it has been a rough road.  We have to take time to reflect on this.  Maybe pray on this.  Or to take a different approach, the question of “God, why have you forsaken me?” could be responded, “and why have you forsaken your God?”

Back to the song, “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers”. Like looking back in a journal of notes you find that He has answered your prayers.  Maybe the prayer you prayed for a new bike was answered with you learning patience that would take you into your adult life.  Or that house that you were sure God was wanting you to buy or build but God answered in His time that you would need the finances because the ministry you were working for laid you off. Or that request or demand that God heal your family member and He answered that the work was done here on earth and now it was time for rest.