Here are three great reminders when God’s answers are not what you wanted.
knows better
I don’t need to remind you that God is omniscient, which means, He is omniscient. Nothing has ever happened to God…ever, so when God answers in a way that doesn’t please us or may be almost the opposite of what we asked for, keep in mind that God’s way is not our way and His thoughts are not like our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). His ways are far, far better.
something better
When Jesus was telling his disciples to pray for our needs, he said, “Which one of you, if his son asked him for bread, would give him a stone” (Matthew 7:9) ), either “Or if he asks for a fish, give him a snake” (Matthew 7:10)? jesus is the point “So if you, who are evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)! The answer God gives you may not be what you expected, but the answer God gives you is always the best for you (Romans 8:28). it’s because he will “Give Good Things to Those Asking Him” (Matthew 7:11)!
something new
When one of our church members had to go to a rehab center because of a broken hip, I visited him. I went inside, thinking to myself, “I really want to start a local ministry for a church somewhere here in town.” So I walked into the assisted-living center and met with a member of our church, but then, I got to know the staff, then some of the other residents, but also some of the resident’s family. I got involved in a nursing home ministry on my own…by chance…and what God brought me was even better than what I was praying for. At first, it may not seem like what you want, but if you put all of your heart into something, it may capture your heart, and then you’ll suddenly develop a passion for it.
conclusion
Imagine a young child who comes up to their parent and asks to play with some scissors… and I do mean adult scissors with sharp, pointy ends. Of course the child doesn’t always know what is best for him like the parent, so the parent gives the child a pair of scissors that are smaller, and have rounded ends, like the ones they use in elementary schools Huh. At first, the child didn’t like the answer, “no,” and the child got something they didn’t want, but they got something that was better for them.