{"id":3687,"date":"2019-04-16T09:00:41","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T14:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/?p=3687"},"modified":"2019-05-14T16:16:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-14T21:16:00","slug":"how-do-you-respond-when-god-says-no","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/2019\/04\/16\/how-do-you-respond-when-god-says-no\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do You Respond When God Says \u2018No\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life is difficult!\u00a0 Those words appear at the beginning of the book, The Road Less Traveled,<\/em> by M. Scott Peck. By nature, I am an optimist.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy for me to see the good, even in tough circumstances. But I\u2019ve come through a few situations lately that caused even me to say, \u201cLife is difficult!\u201d<\/p>\n

A few months ago I received the joyful news that our worship leader was expecting a baby. This young couple had tried in vain for a couple of years to get pregnant. There were numerous times of counseling and encouragement with this precious couple. There were lots of tears and lots of prayers. But now, all those tears were forgotten.<\/p>\n

This couple then entered into that euphoric time when they were considering baby names and preparing a nursery. They were planning a baby shower and the wife was relaying to her friends and family every tiny movement by the little man in her womb.<\/p>\n

Then at 21 weeks, they lost the baby. Instead of rejoicing over a newborn son, they were holding a tiny stillborn child in their hands.<\/p>\n

Life is difficult!<\/p>\n

More recently, we lost two really great men in our church. Both were in their early 60s, far from the biblical promise of 70 years. They had loving wives and adoring grandchildren.<\/p>\n

These men were strong believers, full of faith and pillars in our church. I admired them both and I\u2019m having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that they are now in heaven.\u00a0Their homegoing leaves us with a lot of questions.<\/p>\n

As a corporate body, we prayed, fasted and believed for their recovery. But in the end, it seemed like death won. I know that death is not the end. But it sure feels like a kick in the gut when death comes.<\/p>\n

Life is difficult!<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s get real for just a moment. How do we respond when God says \u201cno\u201d to our prayers?\u00a0 Do we throw a temper tantrum and demand our way?\u00a0 Do we whine or complain?\u00a0 Do we accuse God of being unjust, or worse yet, unloving?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve probably done all the above, and more. But let me share a little secret. A \u201cno\u201d from God reveals far more about our heart than a \u201cyes.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to get happy about a \u201cyes\u201d because we get the desire of our hearts.\u00a0But an unanswered prayer is always questioned.<\/p>\n

We hate \u201cnos.\u201d Not because we simply didn\u2019t get what we wanted, but because the \u201cno\u201d exposes what\u2019s really in our heart.\u00a0 A \u201cno\u201d uncovers those dark, hidden areas of our soul where things like pride, selfishness or mistrust try to hide.<\/p>\n

When we get a \u201cno!\u201d from a boss, a spouse, a co-worker or a friend, what is the first thought that races through your mind?\u00a0 You might try to justify your request, or you may try to swallow a few choice words.<\/p>\n

One of the first things we all do is wonder why our request was denied.\u00a0 Or, we look at ourselves and ask, \u201cWhat did I do to deserve this refusal?\u201d\u00a0As humans, we say \u201cno\u201d for a lot of wrong reasons.\u00a0 Our \u201cnos\u201d might stem from selfishness, pettiness, greed or simply not understanding.<\/p>\n

But God\u2019s \u201cnos\u201d always have a reason. He is not selfish, petty, vindictive, cruel, uncaring or unknowing. God says \u201cno\u201d because \u201cyes\u201d would have been the wrong answer. And God cannot be wrong!<\/p>\n

How many times do you think David prayed to stop being pursued by Saul and his army?\u00a0 How many times did Joseph ask God to release him from prison? How often did Sarah petition God for a child?<\/p>\n

How often did Paul ask God to remove his \u201cthorn in the flesh\u201d? All these great heroes of the faith received a \u201cno\u201d from God.\u00a0 Some got a \u201cno\u201d with the promise of a \u201cyes\u201d in the future. They had to be patient during a long waiting period. But others got a flat out, absolute, resounding \u201cno!\u201d<\/p>\n

We have to look at things from God\u2019s perspective. He is far above our circumstances. He sees the big picture. Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, \u201cFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways \u2026 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our puny, limited brains will never understand the lofty ways of God. The reason we struggle so much with a \u201cno\u201d is that we are trying to figure out the reason for the \u201cno.\u201d\u00a0 If we could understand the \u201cno,\u201d it would make it easier to accept.<\/p>\n

Remember when you were a teenager (or if you are a teenager now), and you asked your parents if you could borrow the car or go on a trip with friends? When you heard the word \u201cno,\u201d the very next thing out of your mouth was, \u201cWhy?\u201d And what was the answer you got that drove you crazy?<\/p>\n

Sometimes our parents would say: \u201cBecause I said so!\u201d<\/p>\n

When we get a \u201cno\u201d from God it is because He said so. He does not ask us to understand\u2014because we can\u2019t. He does not expect us to necessarily like it (because we really can\u2019t). But, He does expect us to trust Him!<\/p>\n

And that is where life on earth gets real. When we buck against a \u201cno,\u201d our attitude reveals a tiny (or not so tiny) level of mistrust in God.\u00a0 If we really believed God is good all the time if we really knew that God has our best interest at heart, and if we really understood the depth of His love for us, we would simply accept His response.<\/p>\n

I will probably never comprehend a stillborn child or a premature death. I will remain forever perplexed when the Bible says, \u201cThe prayer of faith will heal the sick,\u201d yet the sick person I pray for is not healed. I may never understand the \u201cno\u201d of God, but I can trust His heart.\u00a0 I can learn to walk in the truth that \u201call things work together for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

I can hold on to His promise: \u201cHe knows the plans He has for me \u2026 plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.\u201d And I can strive to put all my trust in His undying love for me, in His overwhelming omniscience, and in His ever-watchful eye over my life.<\/p>\n

As we learn to trust Him more, His \u201cno\u201d will give evidence of His great love for us, even when we don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n

\n

This article was first published in Encourage<\/a> magazine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":3688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,610],"tags":[618,61,14,37,149,58,572],"class_list":{"0":"post-3687","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"category-justice","9":"tag-618","10":"tag-april","11":"tag-dale-adams","12":"tag-encourage","13":"tag-encourage-magazine","14":"tag-iphc","15":"tag-justice","16":"entry"},"title_es":"\u00bfC\u00f3mo respondes cuando Dios dice 'no'?","content_es":"\u00a1La vida es dif\u00edcil! Esas palabras aparecen al principio del libro, The Road Less Traveled,<\/em> por M. Scott Peck. Por naturaleza, soy optimista. Es f\u00e1cil para m\u00ed ver lo bueno, incluso en circunstancias dif\u00edciles. Pero \u00faltimamente he pasado por algunas situaciones que incluso me hicieron decir: \u201c\u00a1La vida es dif\u00edcil!\u201d Hace unos meses recib\u00ed la alegre noticia de que nuestro l\u00edder de adoraci\u00f3n estaba esperando un beb\u00e9. Esta joven pareja hab\u00eda intentado en vano durante un par de a\u00f1os quedar embarazada. Hubo numerosas ocasiones de asesoramiento y aliento con esta preciosa pareja. Hubo muchas l\u00e1grimas y muchas oraciones. Pero ahora, todas esas l\u00e1grimas fueron olvidadas. Esta pareja luego entr\u00f3 en ese momento de euforia cuando estaban considerando nombres de beb\u00e9s y preparando una guarder\u00eda. Estaban planeando una fiesta de bienvenida al beb\u00e9 y la esposa se comunicaba con sus amigos y familiares cada peque\u00f1o movimiento del hombrecillo en su vientre. Luego a las 21 semanas, perdieron al beb\u00e9. En lugar de regocijarse con un hijo reci\u00e9n nacido, ten\u00edan en sus manos a un peque\u00f1o ni\u00f1o muerto. \u00a1La vida es dif\u00edcil! M\u00e1s recientemente, perdimos a dos hombres realmente grandes en nuestra iglesia. Ambos estaban en sus primeros a\u00f1os 60, lejos de la promesa b\u00edblica de 70 a\u00f1os. Ten\u00edan esposas amorosas y adoraban nietos. Estos hombres eran creyentes fuertes, llenos de fe y pilares en nuestra iglesia. Los admir\u00e9 a los dos y me cuesta mucho darme cuenta que ahora est\u00e1n en el cielo. Su homegoing nos deja con muchas preguntas. Como un cuerpo corporativo, oramos, ayunamos y cre\u00edmos por su recuperaci\u00f3n. Pero al final, parec\u00eda la muerte ganada. S\u00e9 que la muerte no es el final. Pero seguro que se siente como una patada en el est\u00f3mago cuando llega la muerte. \u00a1La vida es dif\u00edcil! Entonces, seamos realistas por un momento. \u00bfC\u00f3mo respondemos cuando Dios dice \"no\" a nuestras oraciones? \u00bfLanzamos una rabieta y exigimos nuestro camino? \u00bfNos quejamos o nos quejamos? \u00bfAcusamos a Dios de ser injusto, o peor a\u00fan, de no amar? Probablemente hemos hecho todo lo anterior, y m\u00e1s. Pero d\u00e9jame compartir un peque\u00f1o secreto. Un \"no\" de Dios revela mucho m\u00e1s sobre nuestro coraz\u00f3n que un \"s\u00ed\". Es f\u00e1cil sentirse feliz con un \"s\u00ed\" porque obtenemos el deseo de nuestros corazones. Pero una oraci\u00f3n sin respuesta siempre es cuestionada. Odiamos \"nos\". No porque simplemente no obtuvimos lo que quer\u00edamos, sino porque el \"no\" expone lo que realmente est\u00e1 en nuestro coraz\u00f3n. Un \"no\" descubre esas \u00e1reas oscuras y ocultas de nuestra alma donde cosas como el orgullo, el ego\u00edsmo o la desconfianza tratan de esconderse. Cuando recibimos un \u201cno\u201d de un jefe, un c\u00f3nyuge, un compa\u00f1ero de trabajo o un amigo, \u00bfcu\u00e1l es el primer pensamiento que atraviesa tu mente? Puede intentar justificar su solicitud, o puede intentar tragar algunas palabras de su elecci\u00f3n. Una de las primeras cosas que todos hacemos es preguntarnos por qu\u00e9 se rechaz\u00f3 nuestra solicitud. O, nos miramos a nosotros mismos y nos preguntamos: \"\u00bfQu\u00e9 hice para merecer este rechazo?\" Como seres humanos, decimos \"no\" por muchas razones equivocadas. Nuestros \"no\" pueden provenir del ego\u00edsmo, la mezquindad, la codicia o simplemente la falta de comprensi\u00f3n. Pero los \"nos\" de Dios siempre tienen una raz\u00f3n. No es ego\u00edsta, mezquino, vengativo, cruel, despreocupado o ignorante. Dios dice \"no\" porque \"s\u00ed\" habr\u00eda sido la respuesta incorrecta. \u00a1Y Dios no puede estar equivocado! \u00bfCu\u00e1ntas veces crees que David or\u00f3 para dejar de ser perseguido por Sa\u00fal y su ej\u00e9rcito? \u00bfCu\u00e1ntas veces le pidi\u00f3 Jos\u00e9 a Dios que lo liberara de la prisi\u00f3n? \u00bfCon qu\u00e9 frecuencia pidi\u00f3 Sarah a Dios un hijo? \u00bfCon qu\u00e9 frecuencia le pidi\u00f3 Pablo a Dios que le quitara su \"espina en la carne\"? Todos estos grandes h\u00e9roes de la fe recibieron un \"no\" de parte de Dios. Algunos obtuvieron un \"no\" con la promesa de un \"s\u00ed\" en el futuro. Ten\u00edan que ser pacientes durante un largo per\u00edodo de espera. Pero otros obtuvieron un rotundo, absoluto y rotundo \"\u00a1no!\". Tenemos que ver las cosas desde la perspectiva de Dios. \u00c9l est\u00e1 muy por encima de nuestras circunstancias. \u00c9l ve el cuadro grande. Isa\u00edas 55: 8-9 nos dice: \"Porque mis pensamientos no son tus pensamientos, ni tus caminos son mis caminos ... Como los cielos son m\u00e1s altos que la tierra, mis caminos son m\u00e1s altos que tus caminos y mis pensamientos que tus pensamientos\". Nuestros cerebros peque\u00f1os y limitados nunca entender\u00e1n los caminos elevados de Dios. La raz\u00f3n por la que luchamos tanto con un \"no\" es que estamos tratando de descubrir la raz\u00f3n del \"no\". Si pudi\u00e9ramos entender el \"no\", ser\u00eda m\u00e1s f\u00e1cil de aceptar. \u00bfRecuerdas cuando eras un adolescente (o si eres un adolescente ahora), y le preguntaste a tus padres si podr\u00edas pedir prestado el auto o ir de viaje con amigos? Cuando escuch\u00f3 la palabra \"no\", lo siguiente que sali\u00f3 de su boca fue: \"\u00bfPor qu\u00e9?\" \u00bfY cu\u00e1l fue la respuesta que obtuvo que lo enloqueci\u00f3? A veces nuestros padres dec\u00edan: \"\u00a1Porque yo lo dije!\" Cuando obtenemos un \"no\" de Dios es porque \u00c9l lo dijo. \u00c9l no nos pide que entendamos, porque no podemos. \u00c9l no espera que necesariamente nos guste (porque realmente no podemos). Pero, \u00a1\u00c9l espera que nosotros confiemos en \u00c9l! Y ah\u00ed es donde la vida en la tierra se vuelve real. Cuando nos oponemos a un \"no\", nuestra actitud revela un peque\u00f1o (o no tan peque\u00f1o) nivel de desconfianza en Dios. Si realmente creemos que Dios es bueno todo el tiempo si realmente supi\u00e9ramos que Dios tiene nuestro mejor inter\u00e9s en el coraz\u00f3n, y si realmente entendi\u00e9ramos la profundidad de su amor por nosotros, simplemente aceptar\u00edamos su respuesta. Probablemente nunca comprender\u00e9 a un ni\u00f1o muerto o una muerte prematura. Permanecer\u00e9 perplejo para siempre cuando la Biblia diga: \"La oraci\u00f3n de fe sanar\u00e1 a los enfermos\", pero la persona enferma por la que oro no est\u00e1 curada. Puede que nunca entienda el \"no\" de Dios, pero puedo confiar en su coraz\u00f3n. Puedo aprender a caminar en la verdad de que \"todas las cosas trabajan juntas para el bien\". Puedo aferrarme a su promesa: \"\u00c9l sabe los planes que tiene para m\u00ed ... planes para prosperarme y no para da\u00f1arme, planes para darme esperanza y un futuro \u201d. Y puedo esforzarme por poner toda mi confianza en su amor eterno por m\u00ed, en su omnisciencia abrumadora y en su ojo siempre vigilante sobre mi vida. A medida que aprendemos a confiar m\u00e1s en \u00c9l, Su \"no\" dar\u00e1 evidencia de su gran amor por nosotros, incluso cuando no entendemos.","author_name":"Dale Adams","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/04\/When-God-Says-No.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Bx-Xt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}