Triple Threat

Every now and then I’d hear someone say, ‘God has answered all my prayers.’ That has not been my story, but I think I understand what they’re saying.There are things we tend to prioritize in life as important. Having a good career, bills paid, a great family, kids who do ‘right’, someone to do life with, the house with the white picket fence and good health. If those are in place then life is good and God has answered all our prayers. When some of those go unanswered, we tend to feel unfulfilled and dissatisfied.

This past week my mind went there. I had a moment where I came face to face with what I perceived to be three unanswered prayers. Three reasons to doubt, to fear, and to entertain discouragement. Three threats to my faith walk. Three things that I’ve longed to see change in my life, but they haven’t. You get to that place where you begin to ask yourself the hard questions. What if God doesn’t? Does He love me any less? Is God ‘withholding’? Will I worship Him any less? Will my faith fail because of unanswered prayers?

Some of God’s greatest blessings are in the ‘no’, the wait or even in the silence. This past week I watched a movie where the theme song was ‘Unanswered Prayers’ by Garth Brooks. I’d never listened to that song before, but the lyrics are so fitting for some of our stories.

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because He may not answer doesn’t mean He don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

As the years go by, I’ve had to examine my faith on occasions to see if it’s hinged primarily on prayers being answered. Maturity in faith requires that I love and trust God even if He ‘ leaves mountains unmovable’. These words from one of my go-to anthems sums up what grown up looks like as I trust in the dark days:

Even if my daylight never dawns
Even if my breakthrough never comes
Even if I’ll fight to bring You praise
Even if my dreams fall to the ground
Even if I’m lost, I know I’m found
Even if my heart will somehow say
Hallelujah anyway

Daily I fight to block seeds of doubt from shaking my core belief system. I don’t know if my triple threats will ever disappear. For now, I sense these are tools God has chosen to use to refine me. Wisdom has taught me to stay on the Potter’s wheel and enjoy the ride.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)