The life that we live is not our own as the Bible tells us that we have been bought at a high cost -- the blood and life of Jesus Christ. That being said, when we surrender our lives to God, we give Him full ownership of everything that occurs in our lives whether it's what we prayed for or not.
Often, our prayers can go unanswered, and it can feel like our prayers never go beyond the ceilings of our homes. But we are assured over and over again by scripture that God hears our prayers and petitions. Psalm 18:6 says, "In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears."
So if God hears every prayer, why is it that He doesn't answer all our prayers? It's pretty simple actually if you think about it. Imagine you're a parent and you have a child who is dying to go out to the streets, jump into the deeper part of the swimming pool or eat a bar of soap. What would be your response? Of course we would say no because we know that it would be bad for them.
The same is true with us and God. Our God is a loving Father who wants only what's best for us and, moreover, he does know indeed what is best for us. As much as you want that financial breakthrough, relationship, career or promotion now, God has His own perfect timing lined up exactly when it would be best.
While the Bible does say that we can ask whatever we want in His name, 1 John 5:14 says, "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." The basis of our prayers being answered has never been us and our desires. It has been about God's faithfulness and perfect and pleasing will.
So how do we respond to an unanswered prayer? 1 Corinthians 1:9 promises, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." When God says "no" or "not yet," we trust that He knows best. The best response to an unanswered prayer is just the same as a response to an answered one, and that's faith.
All blessings are now made available to us through Jesus Christ, no doubt, but God has His sovereign and all-encompassing ways. He is loving and He is able, but He is also wise and all-knowing.
