Have you ever wanted something so badly that you prayed all through the day; perhaps even in the night? Yo knew exactly what you needed in your given situation, but it didn’t come, even after much earnest prayer. You told God over and over again. Maybe you listened to praise songs. Maybe you read the Bible more fervently that you usually do. After all this, nothing. You didn’t get what you asked for; in fact, it appears you’re getting nothing at all. Is God listening? Is He helping? Does He really care? Those unwanted thoughts, (whispered by demonic forces in evil glee) swirl and twirl in your disheveled and disappointed mind.
It reminds me of Daniel when he got thrown into the den of hungry lions. We know the end of the story so it’s easy to overlook what his human feelings might have been. Daniel had no idea that he would not be ripped to pieces by those lions. All he knew was, after years of being faithful to God, never wavering in his loyalty and belief in Him, he has been thrown to the lions. This is what he gets for His tremendous faith? Really? God allowed that to happen to His loving servant?
Do you ever feel like that when bad things happen? Do you want to shout, “God, are You kidding me? I’m staying close, reading my Bible, listening to praise songs, never miss church, and this happens? Seriously?” Just as Daniel didn’t know the end of his story in that incident, neither do you or I when we face our own lion’s den moments. In this instance, God shut the lion’s mouths (Daniel 6:22). Daniel was delivered unharmed. The thing we must grasp, Daniel would have been delivered even if he, like countless of Christians thrown to lions, had died in that den.
His friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego also knew this truth when they were told to worship a golden statue or die. In Daniel 3 we read the story of them being thrown into a fiery furnace for their steadfast faith in God. When this threat was first spoken to them, they replied that their God could save them, then added these remarkable words in vs. 18, “Even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear, we will never serve false gods or a golden stature.” What? They would serve no other god even if their God allowed them to die? Why? Because they knew that Christians do not ultimately die ever.
Our physical bodies fade away, but our spirits live on, and we are given new, perfect bodies in Heaven with Jesus for eternity. Therefore, none of us need fear the “even if not” to our pleading prayers. For the child of God, a “no” to our prayers is still an eternal blessing. His plans for us on earth are better than we can imagine, and His plans for us in Heaven are beyond our most beautiful imaginings.
We must take great care not to put God on a deadline. When we pray hard for something that doesn’t take place as we asked, don’t fire God for missing your deadline. Don’t turn away as if He was an employee that you had to dismiss. Unthinkable! God has always had your best interests in His forever loving heart. That’s why He sent Jesus in the first place, to give you what you do not deserve — forgiveness of every sin and a place in eternal bliss where sorrow does not exist.
Whatever you are waiting on God for today, pleading with all your heart, choose to trust in the dark, when you can see no other way. God loves always. He cares for you always. A “no” or “not now” from your Father is always a loving answer. Trust brings joy; anger feeds despondency. May your joy grow stronger each day.