When Miracles Do Not Happen;
When God Says No 

 

By Cyprian Akojie:

A young child once asked her father if she could have the keys to an old cupboard that had been gathering dust in a corner of the garage. She explained that they had just been taught the use of computers at school and she wanted to do some homework online. But instead of the keys, the father shook his head and extended a small box towards the child. Disappointed, the little girl broke into a frown and ran out to tell her siblings how mean daddy was being. What she did not realise was that her dad was gifting her a brand-new laptop and that the old computer she wanted was dysfunctional. Moreover, the cupboard was unstable and full of spiders and her father was shielding her from the dangers.

So often, we as Christians can be like this little child in our relationship with God. We get so fixated with the need for blessings, healing and miracles which we have so clearly defined in our minds, and we just want God to conform to our wishes irrespective of His will. In so doing, we miss the real essence of our relationship with a loving God whose reply to our request is always better and more complete than anything we could wish for ourselves. 1 Thes. 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". Ps 34:1: "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips."

God is far more interested in a rich and purposeful relationship with us than in just dishing out random miracles to us. With God, miracles serve His special purpose. They are an extension of his living, dynamic relationship with us which is being expressed in tangible terms. 

One of the most difficult things as a person is to see another person praying desperately and desiring healing which never comes. But the truth is that not every prayer gets answered in the logical manner that we imagine, just as God does not heal every illness as our human minds would expect. The Bible records in Mark 6:1-6 how Jesus did not heal many in his hometown synagogue because of their unbelief, but we also learn in 2 Tim 4:20 and 1 Tim 5:23 about other believers who had to live with illnesses without a miracle healing: "And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed - only Naaman the Syrian.” - Luke 4:27.
Note that Naaman was not even an Israelite. He was a Syrian, yet God healed him! Contrary to the impression we sometimes make, especially as charismatic Christians, miracles, divine healings and answered prayers are not strictly a barometer of the individual's faith or spiritual depth. Miracles are a gift from God, which only He gives as he desires. The good news for believers is that God always desires good things for those that trust in him and call on the name of Jesus. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." - Proverbs 3:5-8. The key take away is to trust in God, submit our will to Him and seek Him for who He is. When we do this, we can have peace that God hears our prayers, He knows our needs and His nature is that He will give us that which is best according to His purpose. We can rest assured that our miracles are complete in our relationship with the living God and that He is honoured in all our triumphs and challenges.