A Prayer Not Answered Thy Will Be done

Someone once said that God answers prayer in three ways: “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.”

To us, “no” may feel like a refusal. Yet when God says no, He always has a wise and loving reason. There are also times when His answer is simply, “Wait.” Waiting upon the Lord is never a waste of time, for the Scripture says:

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.”
—Psalm 27:14

Jesus in Gethsemane

Consider our Saviour in the Garden of Gethsemane, east of Jerusalem near the Brook Kidron. This was the scene of His great agony and betrayal.

Jesus knew that He was about to be mocked, beaten, tortured and crucified. He also knew that Judas—one of the disciples whom He had taught, loved and helped—was coming to betray Him. As we might say in Ulster, this was like putting salt into the wound. Judas was not merely betraying a stranger; he was betraying the Saviour who had shown him nothing but love.

In His anguish, Jesus prayed:

“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
—Matthew 26:39

The cup was not taken away. Calvary still lay ahead of Him. Nevertheless, Jesus submitted Himself completely to His Father’s will. His prayer teaches us that true faith does not demand that God follow our plans. True faith says, “Lord, this is what I desire, but above everything else, Thy will be done.”

Jesus had already warned His disciples:

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
—John 16:33

Following Christ does not mean that we will escape every trial. It means that Christ will be with us through every trial.

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh

The Apostle Paul also knew what it was like to pray for something that God did not remove. Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh to depart from him, but the Lord answered:

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
—2 Corinthians 12:9

The Bible does not clearly identify Paul’s thorn. Some believe it may have involved his eyesight, while others understand it differently. Whatever it was, Paul called it “the messenger of Satan” and explained that it helped keep him from becoming proud.

Sometimes God removes our burden, but sometimes He gives us sufficient grace to carry it. The problem may remain, yet God’s strength becomes greater than the problem.

When we begin to think that we have arrived in the Christian life and are standing proudly at the top, we should be careful. Someone may kick the stool from beneath us! Then we discover that we cannot stand in our own strength and that we need the Lord to lift us from the ground. That can be a painful but humbling experience.

The Humility of Christ

Our Saviour willingly humbled Himself and made Himself of no reputation. Although He healed the sick, cleansed the lepers and raised the dead, He did not seek wealth, applause or earthly honour. He lived to worship and honour His Father, and He gave Himself for the sins of the world.

Jesus became the Lamb of God, sacrificed upon Calvary’s hill. As the hymn writer expressed it so beautifully:

“There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven, and let us in.”

The Father did not remove the cup from Jesus, because through His suffering the price of our salvation would be paid. What appeared to be an unanswered prayer became part of God’s wonderful plan to redeem sinners.

God’s Grace Is Sufficient

Perhaps you have prayed for healing, deliverance or a change in your circumstances, but the answer has not come as you expected. Do not assume that God has forgotten you. His silence does not mean His absence, and His delay does not mean His denial.

God may say yes. He may say no. He may tell you to wait. He may remove the burden, or He may give you the grace and strength to carry it.

Whatever His answer may be, we can follow the example of our Saviour and pray:

“Father, not my will, but Thine, be done.”

Child of God, remain humble and keep trusting the Lord. When you feel weak, His grace will sustain you. When you fall, His hand can lift you again. When you cannot understand His answer, you can still trust His heart.

And when you think you have arrived in your own strength, watch out for the messenger of Satan—for it is only by the grace of God that any of us can stand.

  GOD IS A GOOD GOD

GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES

Written for Georges Web Ministries.com

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         !4th September 2026