Recently, I have gone through, and I am still going through a time of refining. Admittedly, this has been a tough season for me personally. Laying my requests before God, pridefully determining that He would answer my prayers favourably, I have been harbouring some bitterness when prayerful outcomes didn’t go as I planned.

I realize I am not as mature in my faith walk as I would like to be when God says, “No” or “Not yet”.

It is hard.

I lean on the truth of scripture that God answers prayer (1 John 5:14-15), but I admit that I am disappointed when prayers are not answered the way I would like. It is then I ask the question “why?”

I will admit that to accept God’s “No” is hard for me. I almost throw His Word back in prayer that whatever I ask for in prayer I will receive. (Matthew 21:22). He then patiently answers me through His Word the times in Scripture when heroes of the faith prayed but did not receive what they asked for. For example, David asking the Lord to heal his infant son (2 Samuel 12:16-22); Apostle Paul asking a thorn to be removed from his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Their response to God’s “No”, should be a lesson to me. God is Sovereign and even though I may ask, He is not obligated to respond to me in any way. The absolute miracle is that He delights to respond when I lay my humble requests before Him because He loves me! (Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 147:11; Proverbs 15:8)

My response to Him should always be that of sincere gratitude to Him no matter how He may answer, because I trust Him in every situation and circumstance.

I know that His Ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8-9); He knows what is best for me and sometimes that means answering my prayers with a “No” or “Not yet”.

Are you going through a season of waiting on God? Are you frustrated by God’s response of “no or not yet” to your earnest prayers?

I understand.

But this is not a time for us to reject God, or not believe He is Who He says He is. This is a time to draw even nearer to Him. We are to continue to lean on His Word for daily comfort and nourishment.

I know He has a greater plan mapped out for me. I fervently believe that He is building my character one “No” at a time.