What Do You Do When God Says No?

In the later years of Apostle Paul's ministry, he had a thorn experience, it was a huge challenge to him.
Initially he identified the thorn as a messenger of the devil but when he called on the Lord, the Lord said; "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)."

Isn't it interesting that Paul was able to raise the dead and perform other miracles but he was unable to cast this thorn away. He prayed three times for God to take this thorn away. But he did not need to pray three times to raise the man who fell out of the window. Why is it easy to help others with their challenges but difficult for you to handle yours?

Paul was asking for a good thing. He wanted to be fit to keep evangelizing but sometimes we think our plan is sufficient but God's words implies my grace supersedes your plan. He will not permit pain if He did not have a great plan ahead. And His grace is dwelling in the inside of us.

In another instance, the Lord instructed Abraham to sacrifice his only son and did not give him reasons behind this mission. Probably Mr.& Mrs Abraham could not understand how they could wait for so many years for a child only to have him killed. But when you have many facts about something how will you learn to walk by faith. Sometimes God will not give you all the facts because after all He said we should walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Further more,God told Moses he would set the Israelite free from the bondage of the Egyptians but though he had promised him success yet the Bible states that the Lord said He will harden the heart of King (Exodus 7:3). God had already put the promise in Moses hands but He wanted him to pursue it with total confidence in God.

Even Jesus prayed three times for the cup to pass Him by. He did not need to pray that number of times to heal the sick, raise the widow's son or even heal the lepers.

Nevertheless he had to walk through the road of redemption in turmoil. The Lord's faith walk did not stop His crucifixion and Stephen's faith walk did not stop the people from stoning him. Faith is not stuffs.The just shall live by faith(Hebrews 10:38). 

Though we are eternally loved by God but Christianity is a not a lazy religion but a relationship and the ability to walk into Christ finished walk of victory. "Without faith it is impossible to please God"(Hebrews 11:6). GRACE reaches out to you but FAITH walks into it.

The Lord gave us free will because He did want to create human robots, He wants a relationship with us, which can only be reached when we respond in faith.

Shalom!