unanswered prayers -or- withholding does not mean holding out

One technique that is frequently used in speech therapy is called "withholding."  It's one of the very first techniques that we learn in school.  And it's exactly what it sounds like... when a child is whining or reaching for something, you withhold the item and teach him how to request it with signs or with words.  Remember your mom saying, "I'm sorry, I can't read your mind... you have to tell me what you want"? ... keep reading... I promise I tie all this together...

Two Sundays ago, our pastor gave such a great sermon about unanswered prayers that I had to blog my sermon notes for future reference... as well as some side notes from myself.  Keep the "withholding" technique in mind.  He cited many scriptures about prayer and answers to prayers.... the famous "ask, seek, knock" passage in Matthew 7 and this one: 

Hebrews 4:15-16  New International Version (NIV) 

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

These scriptures have been tossed at me, taken out of context all of my Christian life...  it's so easy to get jaded by God because even though Scriptures can imply that God will give us whatever we want if we just ask, so often we are left stomping our feet with our faces up towards Heaven, with a two-year-old scowl on our faces.  And the infamous question "Why, God?"  on our lips.  *guilty as charged*  Seriously, I am so guilty of doing this... "Lord, You said if I had faith of a mustard seed, You would move the mountain... and you didn't give me that new car I wanted!"  

I know that I've shared this story before, but it's so fitting here:  after I suffered a miscarriage, I sat on the couch lamenting to Heath in the kitchen about how I had prayed and how I felt God had let me down...  Heath suddenly stuck his head around the corner of the kitchen wall... "You know, maybe it's not that we serve a faulty God who can't answer our prayers... maybe it's that we've got a faulty theology when it comes to how He really operates." And even though we had come to this conclusion, our little puny human minds could not understand God's infinite wisdom.

Okay, back to what Keith said:  so Keith said (in a nutshell)... answered prayer has conditions... that we must pray according to His will ... we must pray with pure motives... and that He will always answer your prayers:  it just may not be the answer you were looking for... *I'll give you a moment to let that sink in*

During speech therapy, when I withhold from a child, I am not trying to be cruel or heartless... I am simply trying to convey, "Hey, I know that you've got more inside you than you are letting the world see... I am going to challenge you."  And so it is with God... He pushes us to places where we can see more of Him and experience more of Him.  I have to trust that He sees a bigger picture (so cliche, I know, but true).  

So my prayer for you, beloved, is that in this moment of unanswered prayers, that you feel His arms wrap around you... that You hear Him whisper to you... that You understand that He wants the absolute best for you.