You know the dynamic. You pray for something you desire and hear nothing in return. Jesus’ promises about asking and receiving seem to mock you. You recall his parable about the man knocking on his neighbor’s door at midnight until he gets what he needs, or the widow pestering the judge until he answers. His words from Mark 11:24 echo in your soul: “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
What went wrong?
Nothing. Silence from God does not mean “no.” When God wants to say no, he knows how to do it. His silence is almost always an invitation to draw closer, to seek his heart, to position yourself nearer to his goodness. There’s always a gap between our request and his answer, and what we do in the gap speaks volumes about what we believe about him. Is he good? Does he hear? Can we trust him? He gives us plenty of time to answer these questions, drawing closer to him in the process. When we know who he is and come near—when we choose to believe his goodness—he whispers “yes.” The fulfillment will come in time.
If you’ve asked and not heard, don’t withdraw. Come closer. Seek, and you really will find more than what you asked for. You’ll find him.
