Novena Unanswered

[Kateri92]

What does it mean when I have prayed multiple novenas for a special intention of mine but all of them go unanswered? I have prayed a novena to St. Padre Pio, St. Anne, St. Jude and did a Rosary novena (in addition to including my intention in my prayers every night for the past few years. Should I just give up and take the answer as “no”?

 

[Irishmom2]

The answer may not be no. The answer may be: not now. Not yet. Or it may be something better than what you are praying for.

Pray for patience and accaptancevof God’s will for you. His will be done, not yours.

God bless you.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I, for one, can not speculate. We just don’t know why some prayers are answered or why some are not. There is a reason, but it is God’s reason. Perhaps God has other plans or answers to your prayers. I am sure that your payers are heard, but we may not recognize the answer. Re-consider your prayers or novenas. The answer may be there. Peace and prayers.

 

[tawny]

We must remember that God answers us in His time not ours. It may not be the answer we want; but it is the answer we need. He does not give us any problems that we & Him cannot handle together. Remember; “Let Go & Let God”. Praying for your intentions.

 

[Boy_Wonder]

What does it mean when I have prayed multiple novenas for a special intention of mine but all of them go unanswered? I have prayed a novena to St. Padre Pio, St. Anne, St. Jude and did a Rosary novena (in addition to including my intention in my prayers every night for the past few years. Should I just give up and take the answer as “no”?

No is an answer too. Offer the next novena for insight into God’s will for you and the grace to accept His will in all things.

Expectaions are destroyers of faith. We have an expectation of how a prayer will be answered, so we don’t recognize the fact that it has been answered but in a way different from what we’d expected.

Have faith. God is not ignoring you. Surrender your will and your intellect, and your expectations to Him. Trust God. He’ll never let you down, never ignore you.

 

[jmfiore]

As I heard on ‘Christ is the Answer’ on Ave Maria radio, the answer will be yes, not yet, or I’ve got something better…

Don’t lose hope, keep praying and stay open to God!

 

[pianistclare]

They likely were answered. Just not the way you envisioned. Try to discern God’s will in this.
Perhaps what you are praying for is not really the best thing for you, or this is a bad time…could be anything.

Don’t give up on God, he never gives up on us.

 

[midori]

Perhaps you need to change your request. If you are praying for something to happen in your life, ask for God’s will to be done regarding x situation. If you’re praying for another person, shift the focus to yourself-- “Dear God, please help me be the person you need me to be in this situation” vs “Dear God, please change X.”

I have things I’ve been praying about for years. I was in “pestering widow” mode for quite a while, and something dramatic and disastrous happened at the end of a St. Anne novena that helped me realize I had zero trust in God. It was a major dose of humility and left me very confused.

I’m still confused-- I’m positive God wants X, but X isn’t going to happen without him making it happen. But instead of me praying, “Dear God, give me X,” I’ve changed my prayer to “Thy will be done” and “Please help me change to be the person you need me to be.” I’m still confused, and I’m still uncertain, but now I know how weak and shallow I am. A good piece of advice I got [also accompanied by dramatic, but not disastrous, circumstances] was “joyful trust.”

And so that’s the advice I pass on to everyone else. “Joyful Trust.”

 

[Kateri92]

Thank you all for your replies. Now that I think of it, It may have been answered in ways that I didn’t realize. I guess I was too thick headed to see it! Thank you St. Padre Pio, St. Anne, and St. Jude (and the Blessed Virgin)!

 

[houston1]

What does it mean when I have prayed multiple novenas for a special intention of mine but all of them go unanswered? I have prayed a novena to St. Padre Pio, St. Anne, St. Jude and did a Rosary novena (in addition to including my intention in my prayers every night for the past few years. Should I just give up and take the answer as “no”?

Welcome to the club! In my case, I have found that if it seems that my prayer request is unanswered, it is an indicator that I must do something more to move things along. So, my new prayer request is more like “Dear Lord, please show me how to use this desire for Your glory, direct me to whatever will fulfill it, and give me the courage that is needed.”

I find that God generally prompts me to do something concrete to move closer to the object of my desire…and often times it requires my taking courage to do something in spite of my fear. At moments when I have exhausted my resources, it seems that suddenly …out of nowhere… some unexpected thing occurs that answers my prayer request, in part.

Don’t give up. If the prayer is still on your heart, I believe it is God calling you to trust Him to show you how to resolve whatever it is you’re wanting.

I hope this helps.

houston1

 

[fred_conty]

In reading between the lines of the Gospels, I noticed that Jesus never asked his Father anything for himself, but rather, it was always for others. He didn’t even have a home he could call his own.

The only exception was when he asked if it be possible that his suffering would be remitted…which was denied. He only asked one thing…denied.

That is our pattern…Jesus. And he gives us the strength to be as he was. And just look at the enormous good caused by that denial. It could be that when we are denied the same thing happens…good…if we receive that denial in the right spirit…the spirit of Jesus.

 

[Bookcat]

A “Novena” is a construct - for structure in praying for a particular purpose. Even though they sometimes get promoted in a “not good way” - they can be good ways to focus ones prayer life for a period of time. If one desires to use them they are practice that continues from times past to today. (but one need not use them…of course).

The fact that there was no “positive” answer to the prayer seen - only means that at this time there was not positive answer.

Jesus did not say “pray for nine days” and stop but rather to “pray and not give up”…encouraging us to keep praying. He though also noted that God the Father quite well knows what we need and what we ask before we ask it…and not to try to get an answer by simply praying many words that go on and on and on…

Be simple but pray.

frjacquesphilippe.com/theme/fidelity-and-perseverence-prayer

 

[houston1]

A “Novena” is a construct - for structure in praying for a particular purpose. Even though they sometimes get promoted in a “not good way” - they can be good ways to focus ones prayer life for a period of time. If one desires to use them they are practice that continues from times past to today. (but one need not use them…of course).

The fact that there was no “positive” answer to the prayer seen - only means that at this time there was not positive answer.

Jesus did not say “pray for nine days” and stop but rather to “pray and not give up”…encouraging us to keep praying. He though also noted that God the Father quite well knows what we need and what we ask before we ask it…and not to try to get an answer by simply praying many words that go on and on and on…

Be simple but pray.

frjacquesphilippe.com/theme/fidelity-and-perseverence-prayer

I agree…it’s about praying and not giving up…at no time should anyone cease praying for our obligation is to pray continually…(1 Thessalonians 5:17).

houston1

 

[GF_Girl]

God may not be telling you “No” rather “Just wait, the time is not right.” Just keep praying. Remember that Saint Anne-the mother of our Blessed Mother-prayed for a child for 20 years before becoming pregnant with the Mother of our Savior! I read all of the posts and saw that your prayers may have been answered in a way that you did not realize, well know that you are not alone in the hard-headed wagon. Sometimes I ask God for a sign and am not sure of it, He practically needs to hit me over the head with the sign! Just remember, that a novena doesn’t just end, still keep praying, ask God for patience and the wisdom to see how He will/has answered your prayers!

 

[Mary_Estelle]

In reading between the lines of the Gospels, I noticed that Jesus never asked his Father anything for himself, but rather, it was always for others. He didn’t even have a home he could call his own.

The only exception was when he asked if it be possible that his suffering would be remitted…which was denied. He only asked one thing…denied.

That is our pattern…Jesus. And he gives us the strength to be as he was. And just look at the enormous good caused by that denial. It could be that when we are denied the same thing happens…good…if we receive that denial in the right spirit…the spirit of Jesus.

A very interesting and spiritual way of thinking and praying/meditating. I wish I had thought to pray more in this way-a more positive understanding the purpose of prayer. Thank you, fred.

 

[houston1]

A very interesting and spiritual way of thinking and praying/meditating. I wish I had thought to pray more in this way-a more positive understanding the purpose of prayer. Thank you, fred.

Fred did point out that Jesus asked for others and was denied His only request that the cup be removed…He is the perfect man. What can we say? Yet, Jesus also says that He came for the purpose of giving his life away for the salvation of souls (see Mark 10:45; John 10:18). So, Jesus’s desire was fully answered with “yes.”

Now…applying this to us, perhaps God gives each of us individual and specific desires in order to fulfill them (see Ps. 37:4). Each person’s are different, yet complementary, to benefit the body of Christ. Sometimes we believe our desire is about X but is actually about Y and it’s our job to pray unceasingly to figure it out. That is why it is always necessary to ask God for wisdom to know what to do with our desires…so that we can discover God’s will with respect to them. (see James 1:5-6)

In addition, many of our desires take a real long while in order to fulfill them. We must trust God to reveal the steps incrementally along the way.

So, I always believe that God answers with “yes” to all our desires. (see Ps. 145:19) And, if the desire still presses on the heart, it means there is still more to do on our part. It’s our job to keep praying for wisdom and for the courage to take the steps necessary in order to fulfill God’s will.

houston1

 

[Mary_Estelle]

Yes, and I do love Fred’s wisdom. I wish I could contact him and ask him if I could use it or play upon it.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

If the novena is for a discipline, I don’t see a problem with that.

But I do see a disconnect between praying and novena, and expecting it to “accomplish” a certain thing, and further to say it failed if it doesn’t.

I don’t think it’s as technical as “the answer being no” – personally, and I know others’ opinions vary, but I think it’s almost superstitious. Like a magical incantation. Like if I hold the eye of a newt a certain way and pray a certain sequence, that’s the secret key that unlocks a door.

And if our worldly mind does not see that door open, or close, or whatever it is we were trying to badger God into doing, then we say the prayer “failed” or “passed”.

That sounds to me like putting God to the test, and then trying to figure out why He failed. Or did we fail by not following the schedule perfectly – or maybe our minds weren’t quite disposed right and we have to fast and go to confession and try again…

One thing about the “persistent widow” is like another poster mentioned, being a nag to God, where Jesus says, "but when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

Luke 18:7-8
"Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Isn’t this a bit like when they woke up Jesus in the boat? Yes, He calmed the storm but first he told them they were without faith to even have been worried, and to have woken Him up.

 

[fred_conty]

Yes, and I do love Fred’s wisdom. I wish I could contact him and ask him if I could use it or play upon it.

You are about the only one who thinks much of my wisdom…my wife certainly doesn’t. Maybe you could contact her for me and tell her how smart and humble I am, because she needs a little convincing.

But thanks for your compliment and if you can use any of my wisdom(???) in any of my wise(???) sayings, feel free to make use of them.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

You are about the only one who thinks much of my wisdom…my wife certainly doesn’t. Maybe you could contact her for me and tell her how smart and humble I am, because she needs a little convincing.

Hahaha yeah, a prophet can’t get any respect at home, you know what I mean? Our Lord even had the same issues.

But thanks for your compliment and if you can use any of my wisdom(???) in any of my wise(???) sayings, feel free to make use of them.

You have some kind of intuition that seems to cut through a lot of head carp and get to the point of the heart part, IMO. Kind of a Holy Spirit connection, testing itself out and trying to learn to express itself a little more confidently, and plant more good seeds that I suspect you know you are planting at one level or another if not consciously.

So that’s my unsolicited opinion. You have insight that makes connections that others including myself may not see, and may not follow from any given situation at hand using “typical” thinking and logic. That’s why you come across as having a strong “mystical” (spiritual) component, that is not afraid to speak from time to time.

Please forgive me for presuming to be in a position to judge you; I’m just an avatar on the Internet typing some stuff in reaction to what it sees others type.

MS