It

is not always easy to understand God’s answers to our prayers. But

we can be assured that he is always listening to us and that he wants

what is best for us.

Sometimes,

when it seems God is saying no to something, he may be saying yes to

something else and leading us in a way that is different from our own

plans.

Sometimes

we do not receive what we pray for because we are not ready for it.

So God’s answer may be more like “Yes, but not now.” In cases

like that, we need to persist in prayer, but we should also ask for

patience as we submit to God’s timing.

Other

times God simply says no because what we are praying for is not in

line with his will and what is best for us. God can decide not to

give us something because he may have something else in mind for

us—something greater than we can even ask or imagine (see Ephesians

3:20).

So

we must pray to God with humility and trust. We might think that we

know what’s best for us and that our timing makes more sense than

God’s timing. But then we would be elevating ourselves above the

God we pray to! As the Lord said to Paul when his prayer was

declined, “My grace is sufficient for you.” In this way God

reminds us that all our needs are met in Christ, and this allows us

to pray, wait, and trust.