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Why Didn't God Answer My Prayer
Monday, 08 February 2010 08:37 | Written by Ann Shorb
I married my husband, Tim, shortly after college and we left to serve as missionaries in Africa for a few years. Our experiences living and serving in Africa prepared us for the rest of our lives, and there are still a lot of times when I recall the lessons that God taught us during those years.
I married my husband, Tim, shortly after college and we left to serve as missionaries in Africa for a few years. Our experiences living and serving in Africa prepared us for the rest of our lives, and there are still a lot of times when I recall the lessons that God taught us during those years.
In our youthful enthusiasm, Tim and I set out on a trip to visit our missionary friends. We followed what we had been taught as new missionaries in Zaire in 1974. We had our directions since there were no street signs or traffic lights on these dirt roads. There weren't even any gas stations or other stores where we could stop to ask for help.
We had everything we needed in the car before we left - food, things to take to our friends, and plenty of gas to make the trip there and back. Not long after we left home, less than an hour into our trip, our car started having problems running properly.
Tim fiddled with the engine to see if he could fix it, but it didn't run any better. We prayed that God would help us to get the car running properly so we could make it to see our friends. We were really excited to see our friends, but when things didn't get any better we knew that we would have to turn around and call off the trip. I was really disappointed and I didn't understand why God had chosen not to answer our prayer.
After returning home we had a mechanic check out the car. He was amazed at what he found and he told us we were lucky to be alive! The gas line was leaking right down into the engine and he couldn't believe that the engine hadn't exploded already. If we had made the rest of the trip, tragedy would have almost certainly happened.
This news was a huge shock to us! God knew much better than we did, and he chose to protect us despite our prayers to continue on the trip. He helped us to think clearly enough to make the decision to turn around, and that probably saved our lives.
Thank you Lord for looking out for Tim and me on that trip. It amazes me that you are all-knowing and that you look out for our best interests.
by AnnShorb
I married my husband, Tim, shortly after college and we left to serve as missionaries in Africa for a few years. Our experiences living and serving in Africa prepared us for the rest of our lives, and there are still a lot of times when I recall the lessons that God taught us during those years.
In our youthful enthusiasm, Tim and I set out on a trip to visit our missionary friends. We followed what we had been taught as new missionaries in Zaire in 1974. We had our directions since there were no street signs or traffic lights on these dirt roads. There weren't even any gas stations or other stores where we could stop to ask for help.
We had everything we needed in the car before we left - food, things to take to our friends, and plenty of gas to make the trip there and back. Not long after we left home, less than an hour into our trip, our car started having problems running properly.
Tim fiddled with the engine to see if he could fix it, but it didn't run any better. We prayed that God would help us to get the car running properly so we could make it to see our friends. We were really excited to see our friends, but when things didn't get any better we knew that we would have to turn around and call off the trip. I was really disappointed and I didn't understand why God had chosen not to answer our prayer.
After returning home we had a mechanic check out the car. He was amazed at what he found and he told us we were lucky to be alive! The gas line was leaking right down into the engine and he couldn't believe that the engine hadn't exploded already. If we had made the rest of the trip, tragedy would have almost certainly happened.
This news was a huge shock to us! God knew much better than we did, and he chose to protect us despite our prayers to continue on the trip. He helped us to think clearly enough to make the decision to turn around, and that probably saved our lives.
Thank you Lord for looking out for Tim and me on that trip. It amazes me that you are all-knowing and that you look out for our best interests.
About the Author:
Following several years as a missionary, Dr. Ann Shorb began a career in counseling and is the founder of CCES in Hanover, PA. She provides a variety of services including pre-marital counseling and help with sexual addiction recovery.