Understanding God's Will in Answered Prayers and Unanswered Requests
Prayer is understood as converse with God, an intercourse of the soul with God through direct address [5]. It can be oral or mental, occasional or constant, and ranges from ejaculatory to formal [5]. The act of prayer presupposes a belief in God's personality, His ability, and His willingness to interact with humanity [5]. Scripture commands prayer [2], and examples include "beseeching the Lord" (Exodus 32:11), "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:15), and "bowing the knees" (Ephesians 3:14) [5].
God hears and answers prayers [2]. Answers to prayer are promised, especially in times of trouble [3]. These answers can be immediate, delayed, or even different from the petitioner's original desire [3]. For instance, 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 illustrates a prayer answered differently than desired, where Paul's request for the removal of a "thorn in the flesh" was met with God's assurance of sufficient grace rather than removal [3]. God's answers can also exceed expectations [3]. Those who seek God with all their heart and wait upon Him are said to receive answers [3].
The concept of God's will is central to understanding both answered and unanswered prayers. The "will of the Lord" can refer to His revealed will, found in His word, which includes commands and ordinances [9]. Believers are encouraged to understand this will [8]. There is also a "secret will of God," which governs all His proceedings and remains unknown to humans until it unfolds [8]. This secret will is always fulfilled [8]. The "decrees of God" are described as His eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, encompassing all things that ever were or will be [4]. These decrees determine the certain future of events [4].
The efficacy of prayer, particularly in relation to God's established laws and His sovereign will, presents a theological mystery [1]. While some might perceive a tension between God's unalterable general laws and the belief that humans are masters of their own destiny, Scripture does not offer a theoretical explanation for this mystery [1]. However, the Bible consistently presents prayer as effective [1]. For example, 1 Peter 2:15 states that "the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people" [6, 7]. This suggests that human actions, guided by God's will, play a role in the unfolding of His purposes.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — The object of this article will be to touch briefly on-- + The doctrine of Scripture as to the nature and efficacy of prayer; + Its directions as to time, place and manner of prayer; + Its types and examples of prayer. + Scripture does not give any theoretical explanation of the mystery which attaches to prayer. The difficulty of understanding real efficacy arises chiefly from two sources: from the belief that man lives under general laws, which in all cases must be fulfilled unalterably; and the opposing belief that he is master of his own destiny, and need ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Answers To — God gives -- Ps 99:6; 118:5; 138:3. Christ gives -- Joh 4:10,14; 14:14. Christ received -- Joh 11:42; Heb 5:7. Granted Through the grace of God. -- Isa 30:19. Sometimes immediately. -- Isa 65:24; Da 9:21,23; 10:12. Sometimes after delay. -- Lu 18:7. Sometimes differently from our desire. -- 2Co 12:8,9. Beyond expectation. -- Jer 33:3; Eph 3:20. Promised -- Isa 58:9; Jer 29:12; Mt 7:7. Promised especially in times of trouble -- Ps 50:15; 91:15. Received by those who Seek God. -- Ps 34:4. Seek God with all the heart. -- Jer 29:12,13. Wait upon God.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- I Peter “I Peter 2:15 (LEB) — For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”
- 1 Peter “1 Peter 2:15 (NASB) — For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 5:15: Wherefore be ye not unwise,.... No one would be thought to be unwise, but such are, who do not redeem time, and are ignorant of the will of the Lord; believers should not act the unwise part, neither in their talk, nor in their walk and conversation, nor in their use of time: but understanding what the will of the Lord is; or "of God", as read the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions: there is the secret will of God, which is the rule of all his proceedings; and is unknown to men, till facts make it appear; this is always fulfilled, ”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 12:46: And that servant which knew his Lord's will,.... Not his secret, but his revealed will; the will of God, which lies in the declarations of his grace and mercy in the Gospel, and in the commands and ordinances expressed in his word; and which are the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God; the knowledge of which is necessary, in order to practice: and where there is a spiritual and saving knowledge, there will be practice: but there may be knowledge, where there is no practice, and which was the case here: Christ here distinguishes between wicked servants, some being”