Dear Faith Family,
On Sunday, we looked at the final two ways God addresses us personally: through union with the human voice and spirit. While less dramatic than the other ways God speaks, union with distinct human voices and our inner thoughts and attendant feelings are certainly more intimate and often.
The intimacy and normalcy have a purpose, to help us mature into the kinds of persons God desires us to be. While the spectacular addresses have their place and benefits, it is these ordinary forms that cultivate minds, and hearts, and wills that freely and fully involve us in the love and work of God as "colaborers and friends."
One area in which we can see the deepening benefits of God's addressing us through union with the human voice and spirit is our prayer life.
Now, we know that God will not always give us what we want or what we ask for, but he will always answer our prayers. Do you believe that? God will always respond to us in some way, for that is the nature of a conversational relationship.
But wait. You might be thinking, "Can't we all give accounts of requests to God that we never "heard" anything in response? Certainly, he didn't give us what we asked. So are you saying that silence sometimes is the answer?" No, I am not! I am actually saying the opposite.
The issue many of us face in "unanswered" prayer or seeming silence, is that we are not listening to intimate and often forms of God's addressing. We are looking and listening for the spectacular or abnormal. Perhaps even looking only to outward signs--like the thing asked being done--and no voiced response at all.
But when we learn to recognize His voice in union with the human voice and human spirit--his most intimate and regular means of addressing us--we'll discover that God does indeed reveal to those he loves his intentions (1 Cor. 2:9-16); including the denied requests.
We see this in the apostle Paul's story. Inflicted with "thorn in the flesh," he begged God to remove it, multiple times (2 Cor. 12:7-8). Yet God did not oblige Paul's request, but God did not keep silent. Instead, Paul says, "His [God's] answer was: 'My grace is all you need; power is most fully seen in weakness.'" (2 Cor. 12:9).
God spoke to Paul, even in His denying of Paul's desire. In the same way that we would not give our children the silent treatment if they were earnestly asking us for something, even if we didn't think it best for them, so too God will not leave his beloved children just hanging. He is not, as one author noted, "impassive towards us, like an unresponsive pagan idol."
So, this week, as a way to practice, consider those things you have been praying to which you have received only silence or seeming denial so far. Then ask our Father, "Why the delay or denial? "
Pay attention to the thoughts that come into your mind, especially the ones that won't just float by or keep returning. Maybe its a passage of scripture, a past conversation, an idea of God, a truth about his kingdom, or something more specific to you. Whatever they are, write them down.
It may take a few times asking before you'll be in place to hear God's response. But, don't worry, it took Paul at least three times, so you're in good company! Stick with it, and remember Jesus' words about the propensity of our Father in heaven to answer,
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you."
(Matt. 7:7)
Love you! God bless.