A few months ago, a couple friends
and I were in a discussion, and the subject of God answering prayers came
up. They believed that God answers all
prayers, sometimes the answer being “no.”
I asserted that God does not answer “no,” that he simply does not answer
the prayer. I, as I am often prone to
do, forgot about the discussion soon thereafter. However, the subject has come to mind again,
so I decided to research it a little.
Is there even a difference between
God saying “no” and not answering a prayer?
Absolutely. It goes to the
confidence of the child of God. If God
says “no,” then we become more and more hesitant to pray because he just might
say “no.” On the other hand, we may pray
for something; it comes to pass, and we think God has answered the prayer;
however, we soon come to realize that we would have been better off if it had
not come to pass. Reading from the
prophet, Jeremiah, we learn: They
answered Jeremiah—all the men who knew that their wives were offering
sacrifices to other gods, all the women standing there in the immense crowd,
and all the people who lived in Lower and Upper Egypt: “Regarding the word you
have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we are not listening to you. Rather
we will go on doing what we proposed; we will offer incense to the Queen of
Heaven and pour out libations to her, just as we have done, along with our
ancestors, our kings and princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of
Jerusalem. Then we had plenty to eat, we prospered, and we suffered no
misfortune. But ever since we stopped offering sacrifices to the Queen of
Heaven and pouring out libations to her, we lack everything and are being
destroyed by sword and hunger.”[1] This causes us to realize that Satan is
sometimes pleasing us in order to keep us from God. I think it would be erroneous for us to jump
to the conclusion that they were no longer sacrificing to the true God. This, they were probably doing; however, in
addition, they were sacrificing to the Queen of Heaven.
Also, St. Paul says a troubling
thing when he relates: And since they did
not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind
to do what is improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil,
greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they
hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness,
and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless,
ruthless. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such
things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who
practice them.[2] Acknowledging God is not just asserting that
he is God. We acknowledge God when we
think, speak, and act in a way we believe is pleasing to God—because he is GOD
and GOD has to be obeyed.
Also, in the Proverbs, we find: They will call me, but I will not answer; they
will seek me, but will not find me, because they hated knowledge, and the fear
of the Lord they did not choose. They ignored my counsel, they spurned all my
reproof.[6] Further on, we read: Those who turn their ears from hearing instruction, even their prayer
is an abomination.[7] Samuel warns the Israelites, “On that day, you will cry out because of the
king whom you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.”[8] This clarifies what our Lord means when
he promises: “Whatever you ask in my
name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will
do it.”[9]
However, could not this still mean
that God still answers the prayers; he just says, no? No, it does not. Our Lord promises that he will answer our
prayers, do what we ask, to give us confidence in our prayers. If he says “no” to our prayers, we will lack
assurance that he will do as we ask.
Of course, it is necessary to
explain what is occurring in the Garden during the evening of his Passion. “My
Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but
as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said
to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray
that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is
weak.” Withdrawing a second time, he
prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my
drinking it, your will be done!”[10] Our Lord has repeatedly been telling his
disciples about his death. Jesus knew
the type of death he had to undertake.
It is he who had been giving the word of prophesy to the prophets as to
how he was to suffer and how he was to die.
He was not, at the time of the Garden, asking the Father to change his
mind. It could be that he was confessing
the weakness of the flesh; however, he is adamantly saying, “But your will be
done.” To paraphrase: “Father, I fear
this; however, this is one of the purposes for which I have come; therefore,
strengthen me.” Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.[11]
If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this
is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As
the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my
commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s
commandments and remain in his love. [12] Everything that deals with the salvation and
sanctification of the human race is what brings glory to God. To this, God will always answer, yes. Does this mean God will not answer prayers
dealing with temporal matters? I would
assert that it is something we do not know.
We are not the authority on what will cause us to drift away from
God. Satan offered Jesus a kingdom. He did not offer what he could not give. When our minds are focused on temporal
matters, they definitely are not focused upon salvation and
sanctification. When the temporal goes
to support the spiritual, God answers.
However, we often try to “convince” God how something temporal can go to
support the spiritual, but God knows. It
is a dangerous thing. We could be
preparing a trap for ourselves. God does
not answer those prayers. He will always
answer our prayers that are according to his will, and Jesus tells us throughout the gospels what the will of the Father is.
Before I conclude, I do want to
mention one thing. God does answer all
our prayers of faith; however, he often does not answer in the way we
assume. For example, when we pray that
God make us humble, he will answer that prayer.
However, he will not snap his fingers and make us humble. He will use people and circumstances to bring
us to a state of humility. It is
beneficial for us if we do not presume how God is going to answer our
prayers. It is sufficient knowing that,
when we pray, he is already answering that prayer and is not saying “no.”
[1] New American Bible,
Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2011), Je 44:15–18.
[2] Ibid.,
Ro 1:28–32.
[3] Ibid.,
Jas 4:3.
[4] John
MacEvilly, An Exposition of
the Epistles of St. Paul and of the Catholic Epistles, (Dublin;
New York: M. H. Gill & Son; Benziger Brothers, 1898), 2:295.
[5] Ibid.,
2:295.
[6] New American Bible,
Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2011), Pr 1:28–30.
[7] Ibid.,
Pr 28:9.
[8] Ibid.,
1 Sa 8:18.
[9] Ibid.,
Jn 14:13–14.
[10] Ibid.,
Mt 26:39–42.
[11] Ibid.,
Mt 21:22.
[12] Ibid.,
Jn 15:6–10.
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