Unanswered Prayer

 

 

Someone said yes wait and no

Are God’s responses to our prayers

But tell me How can I know

To which one I should adhere?

 

Another person advanced

God’s responses are yes and no,

There is no wait in His replies

That is unbiblical say so.

 

“God answers every prayer.”

This is a position held by most

With some having a special line

Of which they daily boast.

 

Regarding unanswered prayer

There is never a case,

Nowhere in the biblical text

Can such ever be traced.

 

Yet we pray incessantly

About matters of great importance

And each time without an answer

But there is no admittance.

 

How do we know for sure

That God always answers prayer?

Can we attest to this?

Does it in His word appear?

 

Is answered prayer in proportion

To requests that are granted

Or whatever form the answer comes

Even if we are disappointed?

 

And if we do not hear from God

As is known to have occurred,

Would this not be unanswered prayer

Even if the answer is deferred?

 

What then is answered prayer?

Is it only when we get our request?

Is prayer only answered when we get relief

From some undesirable test?

 

It is definitely not as clear cut

As we had thought at first

Though the position we held on this

We once would never reverse.

God answers every prayer

That is my belief,

He points all to His Holy Word

In which we find relief.

 

We may not favour God’s answer

But His answer is always best

And once we follow the Spirit’s lead

We will conquer every test.

 

When prayer seems unanswered

As sometimes it will seem

We have an advocate with the Father:

We, meaning the redeemed.

 

Stewart Russell © December 19, 2021