God Always Answers

Yes, I believe in that with all my heart. God ALWAYS answers our prayers.

And this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His Will, He heareth us:

And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. 1 John 5:14-15

However, we humans tend to hear what we want to hear, skipping the most important part of the whole verse. What part of "according to His Will" did we not understand?

Yes, God always answers.

Sometimes it's "Yes".

Sometimes it's "No".

Sometimes it's "You've GOT to be kidding". (Although I know He knows I'm not kidding, the response makes me wake up to the selfishness or foolishness of my prayer.)

And sometimes, sadly, it's "I'm going to say yes, because there's a lesson you must learn in this. But you will be sorry".

Oh, I so hate that last answer. I heard that one so many times and, after I've learned the lesson, I've had to repent and pray to Him, submitting my will to His, asking Him to guide me in all things. Which, naturally, was part of the lesson.

Yes, I'm an obstinate child of God.

But you know, I'm so, so grateful that He is always here for me.

He always answers my prayers.

Always.