When Answers to Prayer are No

Carrie Kittinger, Sheryl Kloehr, and Veronica Scott tackle one of the toughest parts of faith: when God answers prayer with a "NO." This episode of our Prayer Series dives into how to process disappointment, find wisdom in redirection, and understand that God is always working for our good—even when the answer is painful. We share how a supportive sisterhood helps us "stay in the gap," and look at powerful biblical examples, including Daniel and Paul's "thorn in the flesh."

Show Notes

• The Power of Spiritual Community [00:21]: Important having a sisterhood in Christ—friends who provide courage, encouragement, and can help discern lies from truth when your own thoughts are unhealthy. It's key to building each other up in the things of the Lord.

• A New Perspective on Answered Prayer [02:32] When you pray, you immediately have an answer, even if you don't yet see the full outcome.

"As soon as I pray you answer me; You encourage me by giving me strength." Psalm 138:3

• The Lesson from Daniel [03:23]: The story of Daniel's prayer is used to illustrate that an answer is sent right away, but it may be tied up in the heavenlies due to spiritual warfare. The key is to continue to pray to secure the breakthrough, as Daniel's perseverance sent the Archangel Michael to aid the messenger, Gabriel.

• Understanding God’s Three Answers [04:56]: God's love is consistent, whether the answer is:

  • An immediate Yes

  • A definitive No

  • Wait ("not today but in the future")

• When God’s Answer Doesn’t Match Our Plan [05:55]: It can be frustrating when God's answer doesn't look like what we imaged. The challenge: trust that God is doing something, even if it's not the way we expected.

• Paul’s Thorn in the Side [06:44]: Paul pleads three times for the Lord to remove his "thorn in the side" (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). God's answer was not removal, but a promise: "My grace is sufficient for you." Even in the "no," Paul received strength and encouragement.

• The Greater Purpose of "No" [08:53]: "No" answers are often a blessing "down the road." They help us to stop trying to manipulate God and foster a deeper trust in His timing, knowing He knows all things and has good gifts for us.

Character Over Comfort [16:34]: "God is more concerned with conforming us into His likeness—building our character—than He is with giving us whatever we are fighting for."

• Boasting in Weakness [17:44]: Following Paul's example, believers are encouraged to boast in their weaknesses, because Christ's power is "made perfect in weakness." The "no" answer should not be allowed to keep a person from the call of God on their life.

Final Encouragement [22:14]:

1. Continue to trust the Lord for the answer.

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to rest and find strength in the waiting, and

3. know that sometimes the "no" sets you up for the "yes."