It is common, at least where I’m from, to hear a call for "prayer requests" during a time of corporate prayer. This is usually followed by a list of health concerns and prayers for relief from physical ailments or times of trouble or sorrow. In the Bible, we see numerous examples of people crying out to God for help in their distress. The psalmist David often pleaded with God, "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry for help come to You" (Psalm 102:1). Hezekiah wept bitterly when he was deathly ill, and prayed for God to extend his life (2 Kings 20:1-6). And, of course, Jesus Himself prayed fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking the Father if the cup of suffering could be taken from Him (Matthew 26:36-46).
Praying for relief from pain, sickness, and trouble is a good and right thing for Christians to do. The Bible is clear that God invites us to bring our burdens to Him. "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me" (Psalm 50:15). Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). And the apostle Paul encourages us to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).
But how are we to move forward when our prayers for relief are not answered in the way we wish? When the healing doesn't come, the financial troubles don't subside, or the loved one passes away despite our fervent pleas? This can be a profoundly difficult and faith-shaking experience. We see examples of this in Scripture as well. The apostle Paul prayed three times for his "thorn in the flesh" to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). In the book of Job, we read of a righteous man who suffered terribly, despite his blameless life, leaving him to question why God had allowed such calamity to befall him (Job 1-2).
In times like these, it is vital that we remember and meditate on certain truths about our heavenly Father.
First, we must remember that God is good. "The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:9). "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow" (James 1:17). Even when we don't understand His ways, we can trust that God is fundamentally good.
Second, we must cling to the truth that God is merciful. "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness" (Psalm 103:8). "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). When our prayers for relief go unanswered, it can be easy to question God's love and mercy. But His mercies are unfailing, and He is always working in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and confusion.
Third, we must remember that God wants what is best for us, even when we don't know what that is. "For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). God sees the big picture that we cannot, and His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We must trust that He is working all things together for our ultimate good and His glory.
Finally, we must be willing to consider that sometimes what God is teaching us through pain and unanswered prayer is better than the relief we seek. The apostle Paul discovered this when God's answer to his plea for deliverance was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). The writer of Hebrews reminds us that "God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness" (Hebrews 12:10). Though it may be difficult to embrace in the moment, the trials and hardships we face can produce lasting spiritual growth, greater dependence on God, and a deeper understanding of His ways.
We should pray often for relief from pain and trouble, for ourselves and for others. It honors God by acknowledging His power, mercy, and sovereignty. Jesus Himself did so in Gethsemane, and we are commanded to "cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). But we should never despair, even when the answers we receive aren't what we wanted. We can rest on God's promises, as children of a good and loving Father who never lies (Titus 1:2). In the midst of unanswered prayer, we can take comfort in knowing that His grace is sufficient, His mercies are new every morning, and that He is working all things together for our ultimate good.
