Lesson on Prayer, August 12

In our class on August 12, we worked on the question of how we are to think about unanswered prayer, prayers that we have offered for which we do not yet understand an answer. In Bill Hybel's book Prayer: Opening Your Heart to God (Hybels and Harney, Zonderman, 1997, available at Lifeway bookstore), Hybels suggests three ways of thinking about this issue
Thinking About Prayers that Have Not Been Answered:

God may have answered … No
Read Mark 10:35-45
Imagine you were James or John in this situation.
How would you have felt after Jesus responded to your request?
What might you have learned from this experience?


God may have answered … Slow … God may be judging that this is not the right time for an answer

God may have answered … Grow … God may be judging that you need to grow in your understanding of him or of others before you can understand his answer to his prayer


In our discussion we agreed that these three insights could inform both our understanding of prayer and our understanding of God. However, David McCorvey pointed out that when dealing with very personal grief or pain, these theoretical ideas do not carry too much weight. If we have praying for the safety of our child and our child is harmed … or the relief from pain for our parent and our parent continues to suffer excruciating pain …or … you know the rest. We find it difficult to be content with No, Slow, and Grow. At this point we must rest in faith before the mystery of God … remembering that he is no stranger to pain and to loss ... He knows the prayer, “Father, take this cup from me but not my will be done” … He knows the cross … but He also knows of the resurrection.

Questions discussed:

Do you know of a prayer you have prayed in which you understood later that God answered “No.”

We can almost expect God to answer certain kinds of prayer with a “No.” What are some of these kinds of prayer?

Can you identify a prayer you have prayed in which you understood later that God waited a long time to answer?

What did you learn during your time of slowing down and waiting for God’s answer?

Why is honest self appraisal essential as you grow in you prayer life?

Closing Note from Hybels: In your next prayer time, pause for listening to the spirit of God. Ask God to search your heart and life, shedding light on any area of darkness that could be a barrier in your prayer life.