Can God Be Persuaded to Act? (Part 6)

A Christian couple prays for a child. Years go by until a hysterectomy puts an end to their dreams. A young mother prays for the healing of her leukemia stricken little girl. The child dies. A man prays many years for a new job in his field and is finally forced to change careers.

These are not hypothetical situations. Many of us know real people whose lives fit these scenarios. Why didn't God say "yes" to their prayers? To conclude that these believers simply lacked faith is both cruel and judgmental.

People of faith don't always get what they want. The Apostle Paul is a good example. He prayed repeatedly for the removal of his thorn in the flesh which was likely a physical ailment. God chose not to grant this request. In Paul's case he gave a reason (2 Cor. 12:7-10).  We aren't always so enlightened. Our limited human perspective may fail to discern any good reason for our sufferings.

Could suffering ever be the will of God? What good purpose might it serve? In Philip Yancey's latest book, Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference?, he ponders the "butterfly effect." He writes: 

Scientists insist that measuring the spin of any particle may affect the spin of another particle billions of miles away. Some even suggest, in a theory called "the butterfly effect" that the flapping of a single insect's wings may contribute to the great causal chain that eventuates in a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or a tornado in Texas. Who can say with confidence what causes any single event...? (p. 138).

I'm not saying that I totally buy into the butterfly effect. Nor am I assuming that Yancey does. I think Yancey's point was that no one can claim to have cause and effect all figured out (although Job's friends thought they did). My point is that so much in this world is interconnected in ways we cannnot fathom. A single event creates a chain reaction influencing other events. So what does this have to do with suffering?

I'm merely suggesting that at times even physical suffering may serve a higher purpose, triggering a chain reaction that is consistent with God's sovereign plan. I know this doesn't help much when you're in the midst of suffering and I'm not even suggesting that all suffering is God's will. I'm just saying that if God says "no," he has his reasons.

We cannot claim to know God's will in every situation. So in Romans 8:26, Paul says, "We do not know what we ought to pray for..." Notice he didn't say, "We don't know how we ought to pray," as if the problem was just a matter of finding the right formula or the right words. But Paul said "We don't know what we ought to pray..."

We don't always know the best outcome according to God's will. But the Spirit knows and he intercedes for us. The Spirit is our interpreter who translates our prayers into what ought to be said. And then we trust God to do what is best.

While not always knowing what we should pray, we are nevertheless encouraged to bring our petitions to God ( Phil. 4:6). If we believe that all things are possible with him, then he might be persuaded to grant our request. But believing that he can do what we ask is not the same as knowing that he will do it. It's entirely appropriate for us to pray as Jesus prayed: "Father, if you are willing" and "not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).    

Comments

[ben overby]

Wade,

Great. Especially, "Notice he didn't say, "We don't know how we ought to pray," as if the problem was just a matter of finding the right formula or the right words. But Paul said "We don't know what we ought to pray..."

So much is totally beyond our imagination. At times we can only groan in our deepest self. But, even then and there the Comforter doesn't leave us alone or without a voice.

Ben

[Brian]

Bruce Almight (despite some crude Jim Carrey humor) has some really good theology in it. Like the conflict of free-will and love.

something about prayer that the movie effectively shows is when Bruce is answering prayers all over the world, and gets tired of it, so hits "reply all" in his prayer-mail software and answers "Yes" to every single prayer.

the world falls apart, disasters, problems everywhere, etc.

it makes a great point

[Wade Tannehill]

Ben,

Thanks once again for pointing out what stood out to you. I appreciate it. This gives me some feedback on how I'm doing. And your second paragraph is very insightful. Thanks.

[Wade Tannehill]

Brian,

Thanks. I guess I'll have to break down and rent that.

[Brian]

sorry for causing my brother to stumble,
it has "just a little" unholiness in it so it's okay and it's for research, so it's okay.
just don't preach any sermons on pornography that require research

wait, maybe this is the automated robot commenting....

[Don]

Wade,
Not only do we not know how we ought to pray because of a "butterfly" effect in our lives or is it a weird "(prayer)string theory" :). But and this is also important we do not know how our "good" prayers might affect others in generations to come. Our present suffering may avoid untold suffering in our grandchildren or in the church a 100 years from now.

Don

[Wade Tannehill]

Don,

Absolutely!

[Frank]

Wade,

An especially good post. It made me think that "you shouldn't sweat the small stuff" unless you're talking about that small part of the small stuff that you can actually do something about. I.e., it's not that the small stuff doesn't matter. But most of it you can't do anything about. You might as well try to keep that butterfly from flapping. A fairly recent problem for people is, we immediately know about 100,000 small things all of the time. But I'm rambling now.

[preacherman]

Great post.

[Gallagher]

You keep writing and I will keep enjoying!

[Jim Martin]

Wade,
This is a very good post. You've done a great job with this series.

[Trey Morgan]

As always, another good post. I've enjoyed this series too...

Blessings

[Alan]

Your post brings to mind the prayer of Jesus in the garden. Even his request was not granted on that occasion. God's purpose required Jesus to go to the cross. So he endured what came, and did so righteously. The difficulties I pray to avoid are so much smaller, yet sometimes it is still hard to accept God's answer righteously.

[Bobby Valentine]

The last sentence is worth it all.

Shalom,
Bobby Valentine

[Wade Tannehill]

Frank,

Thanks. Speaking of small stuff, my wife and I took a weekend trip to Ohio. On that end they sent our luggage to Chicago. On the way back a flight delay coming from Ohio caused us to miss a connecting flight from Denver to home. Everything worked out though. We took a later flight to a town one hour from here and a friend came and picked us up. But I didn't sweat the small stuff. It wouldn't have done any good and I wondered what kind of positive cause and effect this might have been having in the grand scheme.

[Wade Tannehill]

Preacherman, Gallagher, and Jim,

Thanks so much for the encouragement.

[Wade Tannehill]

Alan,

How true, in my life as well.

[Wade Tannehill]

Trey,

Thanks for letting me know.

[Wade Tannehill]

Bobby,

Thanks.

[Jim Sexton]

I have read through the posts and the comments (they took longer and were harder to get through at times) and am grateful for the time and effort that you put into this.

Ben's opening comment brings to mind on of my favorite verses in Christian music, from O Sacred Head.

"What language shall I borrow, to thank thee dearest friend?"

Sometimes, it isn't a matter of not knowing what to ask for, nor is it a failure to know how to ask or even who... sometimes the words that I need don't exist in any of the languages of the world.

I love that prayer is conversation with our Creator. I wonder if God wishes we'd just talk to him, empty our hearts, and seek his blessings. Seems that if we don't have at least one request in our prayers, well we were just wasting God's time. That is how some people feel about their prayer life.

Can't our love and desire to serve him just inspire us to call on him just as we'd pick up the phone for no other reason than to speak with a friend that we don't get to see anymore?

I look forward to reading and interacting more with you and those that come here to read and discuss or faith, our beliefs, and our Father.

Jimbo

[Josh]

I think the hardest thing for the Christian to do is to trust God to have His will and to trust that God's will actually is the best for us.

So many times, I think that we end up trying to push for our own agendas even acting on our own agendas and falling far short of the blessing God has for us.