455. When God Doesn’t Come Through the Way You Hoped | Before You Quit #10

When God Doesn’t Come Through the Way You Hoped | Before You Quit #10

What do you do when you've prayed for something good—and God doesn't come through the way you hoped?

In Day 10 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner tackles one of the most painful sources of spiritual discouragement:

Disappointment with God.

When COVID hit, Rob's church in Tucson was averaging around 200 people on Sundays.

Like churches around the world, they temporarily moved online.

When they finally gathered again, a little more than 100 people remained.

Rob wondered:

Where did everybody go?

What happened to the college students?

Why weren't people coming back?

He prayed.

He begged God to rebuild the church.

He took long prayer walks through the streets and alleys of Tucson, pleading:

“God, help me. Please help your church. Please just throw me a bone here. I'm struggling. I don't know what to do.”

But several years passed without the dramatic resurgence Rob had hoped for.

And that's hard.

Especially when what you're praying for seems completely consistent with God's will.

What About God's Promises?

Jesus said:

“You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” — John 14:14

Sometimes that can sound like a blank check.

Ask.

Believe.

And God will provide.

We can understand why God might not answer a prayer to win a billion-dollar lottery.

But what about prayers for things that seem good?

A job.

Money for missions.

Enough money to pay the rent.

Healing for someone with cancer or another illness.

Someone you love returning to Jesus.

Unity in your small group.

A church that is strong, growing and healthy.

What do you do when you pray for something that seems aligned with God's will—and the answer still doesn't come?

Rob admits that he doesn't have an easy answer.

But he shares two thoughts that have helped him navigate the disappointment.

1. God May Replace What You Want With Something Better

Early in Rob's Christian life, he was deeply in love with a woman he met in the campus ministry at UC Berkeley.

He was serious about the relationship and was close to proposing.

But Rob was struggling spiritually, and those struggles were affecting their relationship.

After seeking advice, he broke off the relationship for her sake until he could get his relationship with God back on track.

His plan seemed simple:

Get right with God.

Then marry this woman.

But after Rob repented and renewed his relationship with Christ, something unexpected happened.

His feelings changed.

He felt lost.

He couldn't imagine anyone better.

He believed he had lost something irreplaceable.

Night after night, Rob walked through the streets of Berkeley praying for God's guidance.

But God had another plan.

About a year after the breakup, Rob's future wife, Pam, flew into the Bay Area from Cairo, Egypt.

They began dating.

A year later, they were married.

What once felt like an irreplaceable loss eventually looked very different.

Sometimes God reserves the right to replace what we desperately want with something better.

2. Don't Forget All the Times God Said Yes

Rob's second observation comes from looking back over his life.

The number of times God has said “no” or “wait” is small compared with the number of times God has given him exactly what he asked for.

His life.

His family.

His missionary journeys.

And countless other blessings.

In fact, Rob believes God's generosity may be part of the reason his “no” can hurt so badly.

We become accustomed to the generosity of a loving Father.

So when he doesn't give us what we desperately want, it can be shocking.

But God reserves the right to say no.

Not because he has stopped loving us.

But because he is guided by wisdom we don't always understand.

Rob doesn't pretend to like it.

But accepting God's right to say no is part of accepting him as both Savior and Lord.

Before You Quit Because God Said No...

Remember two things:

God may have something better.

And:

Remember all the times he has already said yes.

A disappointing answer to prayer doesn't erase a lifetime of God's faithfulness.

If you're considering walking away because God didn't answer the way you hoped, don't let one painful “no” make you forget all the ways he has already loved, provided for and blessed you.

Before you quit, look back.

Remember his generosity.

And leave room for the possibility that God's story isn't finished yet.

This is Day 10 of Rob Skinner's Before You Quit series, based on his new book, Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done.

If you know someone who's discouraged, disappointed with God or struggling with an unanswered prayer, share this episode with them.

Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.