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Day 2: When God Says No

One of the most heartbreaking experiences we can face in this life is having an unmet desire. Sometimes God does give us the desires of our hearts—eventually. But there is no guarantee we’ll receive the thing we so desperately long for. And often, these unfulfilled longings—whether it’s a desire to be a parent, to be married, to be in a different financial situation, to have a different job—cause us to question God’s goodness.

“If you’re a good God, why aren’t you giving me what I want?” 

Many of us have cried out to the Lord in a similar way. But we don’t have to look far to realize that we’re not the only ones who have walked through dark experiences, shattered dreams, and unfulfilled desires. The Bible is full of examples:

• Abraham and Sarah struggled with infertility for twenty-five years (Gen. 11:30,    21:1-6)
• Leah was consistently overlooked since Jacob loved Rachel more (Gen. 29:30)
• Joseph was unfairly imprisoned (Gen 39:20)
• Job lost loved ones, possessions, and almost everything he held dear (Book of Job)
• Mary watched her oldest son be crucified (John 19:16–27)
• Paul endured tremendous personal trials including a shipwreck, beatings, and imprisonment (Acts 21:27–36; 2 Cor. 11:23–30)

What do we do with our unfulfilled desires or when God seems to be telling us “no”? We turn to Jesus, because He knows what it’s like to be told “no”. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus earnestly begs God to “let the cup pass from Him” He asked God to remove the suffering He was about to endure. But His next breath was to submit to God’s will. “Not my will, but Your will be done.” 

Jesus poured His pain and sorrow out in prayer. God invites us to pray like Jesus prayed.. His heart is a safe place for us to grieve. Throughout Scripture, He reminds us that He is our only true fotress and stronghold. All the people and places we turn to won’t be able to offer comfort that will truly sustain our hearts. When the Lord says wait, press into prayer. Ask Him to comfort your heart in the midst of your sorrow.

God doesn’t always meet our earthly longings, but He always gives us grace to endure the trials. 

What gives us hope when we’re facing an unfulfilled desire is the fact that our Savior knows the heartache of an unfulfilled desire.

Rest in the fact that Jesus knows the pain of unfulfilled desires.