Why are prayers sometimes not answered? (Jesus, mission, experience, scriptures)

[Mr. Peanut]

Originally Posted by cardero

What is the worst GOD could say?
"No, becasue that is not your will."

Eh? I know when our will is alligned with his will his answer is always yea:


19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, (so be it unto you) unto the glory of God by us. 2 Cor. 1

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

There is no difference between praying to God and praying to your toaster.

Don't be silly. My toaster actually exists, and when I make my offering of bread and pray for toast, it always grants me toast.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Saint Tigeress

"He is our perfect father, He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees th eend from the beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experience: When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence. When He answers no, it is to prevent error. When He witholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act."

Since you're specifically looking for quotes, etc., though, here's a short story that I particularly like:

This is the transcript of the ACTUAL radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland.

Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees the North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT’S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

I think it's sometimes hard to accept answers we get because we don't understand the entire situation as well as God does, and He doesn't often give us all of the information we'd need to really understand why He has chosen not to give us what we not only want, but what we sincerely believe would be in our best interest to have. Most of the time, He just says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

From my perspective, it's actually easier to accept an answer of "no" than it is to wait for the answer that doesn't seem to come. My husband and socialize occasionally with a couple that we really like, but who also drive us both nuts. I often joke that the Holy Ghost seems to tell Debbie whether to cook bacon for breakfast instead of sausage. In a single conversation over dinner, she'll say a half dozen times something like, "The spirit told me to..." or "I felt prompted by the Holy Ghost to..." Sometimes I just want to scream, "Well, give Him a message from me, okay? Tell him I'd like some confirmation about such and such major decision I've got to make the day after tomorrow. If He has time to tell you every move to make, see if you can convince Him to give me an answer or two." Of course I never do. My husband says that maybe I don't get as many specific answers as she does because God trusts me to be able to make my own choices and knows He has to give her instructions about every little thing she does."

The crazy thing is that I know God hears and answers my prayers, in spite of the many times I've felt I must just have a bad connection and am not being heard. I had one instance in my life where I wasn't even praying, I hadn't asked for advice or guidance or anything, and yet I got it nevertheless. I'll have to tell you about it some time, but for now I'll just say that I know for sure that I was being told that I needed to do something it hadn't even occurred to me to do. I followed the prompting and it turned out to be the best decision I've ever made in my life. Anyway, sorry for the ramble.

[cardero]

Originally Posted by Mr. Peanut

Eh? I know when our will is alligned with his will his answer is always yea:


19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, (so be it unto you) unto the glory of God by us. 2 Cor. 1

It is not MY will that must BE done but the will and the PURPOSE of the individual BEing who has chosen a PURPOSE before incarnating into a physical existence that must BE done.

HELLO IT'S ME: An Interview With GOD
Chapter:The Purpose Of Prayer
Pg: 389

[cardero]

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

Don't be silly. My toaster actually exists, and when I make my offering of bread and pray for toast, it always grants me toast.

I should also point out to Tiberius that it is MidnightBlue's hunger that inspires him to make toast. It is also MidnightBlue's finger that depresses the lever that begins the toasting process.

Mostly, the problem with the outcome of prayers is the inactivity of the person requesting the prayer. It ALL falls back on that old adage that "if you want something to happen you may have to make it happen yourself." Prayers are not wishes; there is no such thing as Santa Claus or genies, either.

HELLO IT'S ME: An Interview With GOD
Chapter:The Purpose Of Prayer
Pg:383

Originally Posted by Mr. Peanut
Eh? I know when our will is alligned with his will his answer is always yea:

GOD may not be hungry for toast.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by cardero

It is also MidnightBlue's finger that depresses the lever that begins the toasting process.

It's important to make the offering in the prescribed manner.

[Hope]

Originally Posted by Mr. Peanut

Tell that to George Mueller.

Now there's a man who knew the power of prayer.

Of course, most non-Christians probably have no idea who he was, or how he relates to this discussion.

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by Hope

Now there's a man who knew the power of prayer.

Of course, most non-Christians probably have no idea who he was, or how he relates to this discussion.

If God, and not people, had given George Mueller all that money, then I'd be impressed. Like if he had a magic wallet or a bottomless purse or something. People giving money to other people doesn't really seem miraculous to me.