When God Says “No”
In life, we often ask God for things we deeply desire and believe are aligned with His will. However, there are times when God's response is a resounding "no," which can be difficult to accept. The central theme of this message is that we can trust God even when His answer is "no," understanding that His "no" is part of a greater blessing that may not be immediately apparent.
When we face the disappointment of unanswered prayers, it’s natural to feel frustrated or even heartbroken. I vividly remember the pain of realizing that God was saying "no" to a major decision I wanted to make about leaving Georgia. I had spent weeks in prayer, hoping for a different outcome, only to sense God telling me to let go. At first, it felt like God was withholding something good from me. But over time, I began to understand that His plans were better than my own, even if they didn’t align with what I wanted.
The Bible gives us insight into how God answers prayer. In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus encourages us to ask, seek, and knock, promising that God will give good things to those who ask. However, the passage doesn’t promise that we will get exactly what we ask for. Just as loving parents sometimes say “no” to their children for their good, God’s “no” is often an act of love, protecting us from what we cannot see.
The story of Abraham in Genesis 17 is another example. Abraham asked God to bless his son Ishmael, but God said "no" to making Ishmael the child of promise. Instead, God chose to fulfill His covenant through Isaac, showing that His plans are higher and more perfect than ours. God’s “no” to Abraham wasn’t a denial of His goodness; it was a redirection towards something greater.
When we face a “no” from God, it can be a time of grief and disappointment. We might struggle with understanding why God wouldn’t grant what seems to be a good request, like the salvation of a loved one or the healing of a relationship. But these moments of heartache invite us to dig deeper into our faith and trust that God knows what is best for us.
Disappointment often reveals where our true affections lie. When we bring our disappointments to God, we begin to see where we might have placed our hopes in things other than Him. God’s “no” helps us to let go of what might be holding us back from fully experiencing His love and presence.
As we wrestle with our disappointments, we can take comfort in God’s promises. He promises to be near to us, to hear our prayers, and to transform our hearts. C.S. Lewis once said, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” God’s best is often found in His “no,” which redirects us to something better aligned with His perfect will.
Ultimately, God’s “no” is not a rejection but an invitation to trust in His goodness and faithfulness. Though it may not be easy, we can be assured that His plans for us are always for our ultimate good.
Dr. Bill Young, NRP, Ed. D. is an elder of the Danville KY SDA Church and a professor of paramedicine at Eastern Kentucky University