How do we know when God answers our prayers?

[jason197754]

I mean, how do we know when God says no=He has something better fo us o when He says Wait/not yet???

I’m kind of confused about this. Please expalin…

Thanks…

Jason

 

[Mike_Dye]

I mean, how do we know when God says no=He has something better fo us o when He says Wait/not yet???

I’m kind of confused about this. Please expalin…

Thanks…

Jason

I know that at times we want something so badly and pray that God will interceed on our behalf and grant us our wishes; it seems unfair when after all of our prayers God still says No, After all we have thought everything through. We have looked at it from every angle and we are sure that what we are asking for is in our best interests.
Well you can rest assured that if it is in your best interests and is something that will help you on your journey to salvation your prayer will be answered. If it is not thank God for not granting you anything that would be counter to your best interests.

 

[mysticalrdesign]

As a mother of five, I can relate to God being bombarded with requests. Well, I answer my kids according to what’s best for them because I love them and can see the big picture better than they can. Sometimes it’s yes, sometimes it’s no, and sometimes it’s maybe, let’s wait and see.

However, I know that there have been things in my life which were beyond mere coincidence and were an obvious answered prayer. Those memories kept me going during the times I get the message to wait or even a “no”. I know whatever deprivation I am suffering at the time will be worked for good in the long run!

 

[mfj]

Disclaimers, disclaimers, and more disclaimers.
–I have read a little on this subject and the answers I got seemed, well unfullfilling. Answers like if it is in His will, if it is good for you, if it is not against the free will of another, if your heart is in the right place, if you are free of sin, if it etc… None of those were sufficiant for me. I am going to watch this thread closely. I’d like to know also. When there seems to be no answer, does that necessarilly mean no. You can plummit and pummel yourself trying to rid yourself of any attitude or sin that stands between you and Gd.

–So, all I can say is, continue praying(persevere in prayer as St Paul would say) don’t stop until you feel satisfied at the conclusion. As a spiritual excercise prayer in meditation is one of the best ways to bring yourself closer to HIM. And praying to conclusion helps you see how He works and that He is working. Praying from a promise that Gd has made has benefited my spiritual life a lot. Find a promise that pertains.

–You will notice that some of the prayers of even the Apostles went unanswered.

 

[cmscms]

I remember when I was a student and I needed a job and prayed and didnt get one, people would say God has a better one for you`. No one quite explained why I never did get a job for longer than I care to mention.

I think this God never closes a door without opening a window is just a lot of cliche sayings to try to look like one knows what they are talking about. I have no idea where in the bible it says God helps those who help themsevles And so many non-catholics hav so many blessings

Long and short of it is I can relate to the frustration of not only prayers not being answered but not having a good explanation as to why

CM

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I mean, how do we know when God says no=He has something better fo us o when He says Wait/not yet???

I’m kind of confused about this. Please expalin…

Thanks…

Jason

We don’t always/often know at the time. Sometimes years later (sorry, this might not comfort you right now) you can look back and think, ‘I really wanted that and I prayed and waited and was patient and I never got it. And I was very sad about that. But if He had given me that, I wouldn’t now have THIS which is so much better. This is what I would have asked for, but I didn’t even know it was possible back then.’

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I remember when I was a student and I needed a job and prayed and didnt get one, people would say God has a better one for you`. That was just their own idea. They wanted to comfort you.

No one quite explained why I never did get a job for longer than I care to mention.
Looking back, do you have any ideas? Like, did you gain anything from being unemployed during that time? Did your grades improve? Did you learn anything, like how to be persistent while job-hunting? Did any good come out of this for you? Did any attitudes change? Are you more confident to know you could survive without a job for a period of time?

I think this God never closes a door without opening a window is just a lot of cliche sayings to try to look like one knows what they are talking about. I have no idea where in the bible it says **God helps those who help themselves** That’s not in the bible.

And so many non-catholics have so many blessings Yes but we have the Eucharist and Confession.

Long and short of it is I can relate to the frustration of not only prayers not being answered but not having a good explanation as to why It’s worth asking God. In the Book of Job, God basically says, ‘My ways are not your ways’ but Jesus shows us that God is pretty patient so He might give you an answer.

The truth is sometimes we just don’t know. Sometimes we have to have faith that God is working things out even when we don’t see it.

CM

 

[mysticalrdesign]

These are very valid questions which used to perplex me quite a bit.

One thing that helped me to understand how it all works is the book, Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence. You can buy the book or you can read it online in PDF at:

divinemercy.tv/St.%20Claude%20de%20la%20Columbiere%20on%20Divine%20Providence.pdf

It’s not too long, for a book.

Father Corapi explains that we are the clay and God is the sculpter. If we remain soft and pliable in God’s hands, things will go better. Otherwise, He will have to get out the chisel!

Whatever happens, God has ordained it so that we can spend less time in Purgatory and more time with Him. We have to think of things in the eternal perspective, because this is not our home. We are just visiting here for a little while, and our happiness here is only temporary. The more important matter is our eternal happiness. That is why our holiness is more important than our perceived happiness.

The “Health and Wealth” gospel is one of the most widely spread heresies in America. I had been taught that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He will answer all of your prayers and you will be happy and successful and well. This type of faith is missing a key component: THE CROSS

Jesus didn’t say that if we follow Him, we are to indulge ourselves, pick up our pillows and follow Him. He said that we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. All of the apostles were slaughtered except for John who was boiled in oil. (I guess Christianity ain’t for wimps!)

If Jesus asked for “This cup to pass” and God denied His request for the greater good, shouldn’t we expect the same for ourselves. Ultimately, Jesus said, “But Thy Will be Done,” and thank goodness He did or there would be no hope for our salvation!

It’s like when I tell my little one not to go out into the street because it’s dangerous, but he can’t understand because he doesn’t “see” any cars. He has to trust that I know what is best for him.

Another thing that helped me was something Father Pinto teaches. You write down all of your memories under one of three categories: Joyful Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries, and Glorius Mysteries.

Every life has all three. Then you write next to each of your Sorrowful Mysteries how that event helped you in the long run. He says that our Sorrowful Mysteries are stepping stones and learning tools, but that we often get “stuck” seeing only their negative aspects.

This helped me to see that abuse I suffered as a child made me a better Mom than I would have ever been. Also, I thought my kids were so wonderful because of my doing, but God allowed me to become so sick the last couple years, that I couldn’t perform my duties. I have been humbled to see them become successful by the Grace of God, without me! My pride in my success could keep me from entering Heaven. My prayer would be to avoid these miseries, but God knew what was best for me.

This project taught me the real meaning of the Scripture:

And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints. Romans 8:28 (Douay-Rheims)

Sorry this is so long! May God bless you and give you the answers you need.

And may Thy Will, (not my will) Be Done!

In Christ,
Lucy

 

[SarahR]

This probably won’t answer your question but rather perspective. I’m not sure our feeble minds can look at the result and say “this is better than what I desired.” So maybe in one sense, we might never fully think something is better than what we wanted. Like the scenario for praying for a certain person to be your spouse and it doesn’t come to happen…it’s not necessarily that God is someday going to present you with an even more wonderful person to marry.

There are a lot of people who crave marriage and never find a spouse. There are wonderful husbands and wives who are aching to have children and are never able to. This world is full of crosses…Sometimes when I have spent a long time (years) praying repeatedly for something that is good, and I still can’t discern God’s answer, it seems as though He is asking me, “Will you still love Me even if I say no?” so I can prove to myself that my faith is not based upon the shifting sands of my happiness. If nothing else, it is an opportunity to gain merit for those who are also suffering, and to make reparation for those times we’ve turned from Him.