28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
In times of discernment and prayer has God ever said “no” to you? As we pray about situations and decisions in our lives, sometimes we don’t get a “yes” answer from God. There have been times that we have prayed for physical healing for someone, and they weren’t healed. Perhaps you have prayed about things like a new job, being accepted to a certain college, a relationship with someone, etc. and God clearly showed His answer in the way that you were not expecting (or hoping). How did that make you feel?
It is important to process those feelings – likely sorrow, grief, and disappointment – and ask God to help us work through them. We also need to trust God in these situations. If we submit to God, times like these can be times of immense growth. I believe it is much easier to trust God when He affirms, rather than when He says “no”, but we must trust God in both situations.
If God has said “no” to you in the past, have you taken time to reflect on that time in your life? Has God shown you yet how it ended up working out for your good? If there’s a time in your life where God clearly said “no”, and you still struggle with that answer, I encourage you to go to God in prayer about that and see what He might reveal to you. I’ll leave you with this final thought and encouragement from Joni Eareckson Tada: “We will stand amazed to see the topside of the tapestry and how God embroidered each circumstance for our good and His glory”.
Submitted by Marcus Steury
