Don’t you love a miracle? Those times when you just know that God intervened and brought about something you never expected. It leaves you awestruck, right? (Click here to listen to this message.)

We’ve all heard the stories of people being saved from accidents or healed of an incurable disease. Perhaps you have personally witnessed these moves of God in your life or the lives of your loved ones. I sure have.

But what happens when we are praying for our miracle and…crickets. The loved one isn’t healed. The job didn’t come. The marriage failed. The wayward child did not return home. 

What then? Did God ignore our pleas for help or worse, refuse to help? Does He not love us anymore? Or maybe we messed up so much that we think God is turning a deaf ear to our requests. Or…maybe…God doesn’t exist at all.

I suspect that every human on the planet has had these questions and doubts when prayers go unanswered. In conversations and social media comments, it seems like this is the number one question:

Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayer?

Here’s what I’m learning, and let me tell you, it’s an ongoing process. First, God DOES hear our prayers (1 John 5:15). Secondly, God knows what is best for us (Isaiah 55:8-9). Lastly, God works all things out for our eventual good (Romans 8:28).

You see, what we mere humans must understand is that God is not a vending machine or genie in a bottle granting wishes. And honestly, we should be grateful He isn’t because if we did get everything we asked for, we might be in more trouble than we were in before the request!

God is love (1 John 4:8). Everything He does is done from a place of love. He can’t help Himself! God also knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) so He knows what will work out for our ultimate good. We also know that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17).

In other words, God is good. If something isn’t good, it isn’t from God. Plain and simple.

We may not understand the delays to answered prayers for years, or perhaps never. However, that doesn’t change who God is. We trust Him for WHO He is, not just for what He does.

He is a good, good Father. If you’re a parent, don’t you sometimes withhold things from your children? No candy before dinner. No car keys at ten years old. Does it mean you don’t love them? Of course not! You love them so much that you want the best for them.

Let’s face it, the world and trying circumstances will tempt you to doubt God’s goodness and love. I implore you not to do that. While you are waiting for that miracle or answered prayer, stay in faith. Stand on the truth that God is good. He loves you. And He will bring about the perfect answer for you in the right time.

And while you’re waiting? Thank Him for the answered prayer. Thank Him for “your daily bread.” Thank Him that He is “perfecting all that concerns you” (Psalm 138:8). He is not sleeping on the job. He did not quit or give up on you. 

We all want our prayers to be answered the minute we pray. But let’s do our best to focus more on the Miracle Worker than the miracle. Let’s focus more on the One who blesses us, than the blessing. Let’s focus more on the love our Father in heaven has for us, than the temporary lack we are experiencing.

Who knows? This right attitude and right focus may very well bring about a miracle we never expected.