I Asked God, And He Said No

In seeking God in prayer, we need to know this...God always answers our prayers. Just because we don't see the answer outwardly given or given in a timely manner does not mean He has not answered us. Know that God does answer our prayers, and He does so with three different answers: yes, no, and not right now.

When God answers yes, we are over the moon with joy and happiness. When He answers, not right now, we’re happy but filled with anticipation of when it will happen. But what about the times when God says no? In this case we are left with doubt, fear, and/or concern if God really cares and loves us, and that will bring our minds to this: I know God sometimes says no when we ask for something in our prayers. But if He really loved us, wouldn’t He always answer our prayers with a, yes?

[Title] I asked God, and He said no.

So, today we are going to examine the reasons why God would say no, and what you can do when He does. And I’m here to assure you that God does love us when He says no, and precisely because He loves us, He sometimes says “No” to what we request in our prayers.

As a father I understand this concept of love and having to say no to a request from my children. I have to say no so that they do not get or do something that could harm them. Sometimes I have to say no because they want something they don’t need, but just must have. Sometimes I say no to general principles, so they learn that in the real world they will hear no from others in leadership.

In a much greater way, God loves us and knows what is best for us — far more than we do. And because He wants to keep us from harm, He sometimes says “No.” As I look back over my life, I know God sometimes said “No” to things I asked Him to do, and to be honest, I often was disappointed. But later I realized God knew what He was doing, and by saying “No” He had kept me from harm.

By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 13:10

I asked God to take away my pride, and He said, “No”. He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up.

If God took away our pride, then what have we learned? He could take it away, but would it not come back again? This is like the thief that does not get caught, they continue to steal. Pride, as well as stealing, is something we need to learn not to do. God does not take it away because we need to learn to master pride. In the parallel clause ‘pride’ parallels ‘wisdom’. This gives us the idea that pride, which is an abomination to God according to Proverbs 6:17, is the case where a person refuses to listen to good counsel...they rather contend with it. So, right there we have a problem, a chicken and egg situation, which came first? You see, a prideful person will never come to God and ask it to be taken away. You see the issue here; how could God say no to a prayer that was never asked. Well, I can think of two ways: one, someone who cares about the prideful person has been praying for them, to them God said yes. Two, God has a plan for the prideful individual and will allow circumstances to stripe the prideful person of their pride, thus seeking God to help them with their pride, which by virtue of praying for it is already gone. Man, this is like time travel.

Know this, God is in control of all things…there is no karma, there is no coincidence, there is just God’s plan. You see, in the first case, the person praying for the prideful induvial was moved by God to pray for that issue, which caused God to create the circumstance that caused the prideful to rethink their arrogance. For a prideful person to rethink their position in life it takes something major to happen, something being face-planted in the dirt to realize our mistake. This is where the prideful person reaches the bottom of the barrel and realizes that the way to look is up.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.