This week's column is written by Aaron Gravett
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24
Sometimes we pray for things, we may pray continuously, we may fast, and be following the Lord and it seems the prayer is not answered. Maybe we have prayed for something for years or even decades and the answer still doesn’t come. It makes no sense - we read and believe the promises in Scripture and it still doesn’t seem to be answered. Sometimes, if we are honest with ourselves, we don’t even want to pray for the same thing again. It’s tempting to just throw our hands in the air and say, “Oh well, whatever!”
How does a believer still follow the Lord Jesus when it “seems” our prayers are not being heard, or if they are heard they “seem” to not be heard with concern? What do we as believers do when faced with seeming silence from God?
The answer is to keep believing. One of the things that will help our faith is to be thankful. Make a list of all the things you have prayed for over all your life and God came through for you. Make a list of all things you prayed for and didn’t get, but afterward you thanked Christ for not getting the answer you wanted. Every time the Israelites started to waiver in their faith in God, when things got rough, the word came - “Remember.” This is the most important thing we can do when we are in that period of waiting.
Another thing that may boost our faith is to realize that God answering our prayers is not based on us, but on how trustworthy God is. At the same time, we don’t trust him more because he answers all of our prayers, but we trust him because he is God, His word is sure, and He keeps His promises. God is so good that if we need to trust Him more, He will even help us do that!
One of the most important things we can remember is the most important miracle He has done for us as believers - the salvation of our soul!
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:7-9
Truly, even if He doesn’t answer another prayer we pray for - salvation is enough. That’s a hard thought, but in 125 years from now what else will matter, but our salvation in Jesus Christ. Therefore, remember and keep believing!
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