It's true that God has made certain promises but what about the conditions?

If we fail to follow the conditions of answered prayer, how can we justly say it's God who isn't coming through on his promises?

Agreed. But I am speaking as someone whose wife was sexually abused by her father, and that has had major consequences for her life and our life together. She has been praying for healing for 30 years, fulfilling all the conditions as far as we can understand, all of that... and nothing. Maybe there is an explanation, maybe there's a reason, but to continue to believe that God has the power to make this right but chooses not to is to make it very hard to keep rationalising the idea that God is love. I guess what we've come to is the idea that God has the power to do it but for some reason - perhaps what Redwood said about the rules of the Great Controversy - has His hands bound so that he can't do it. (The alternatives are worse - that he doesn't have the power or isn't there at all.) If that is the case - he could but can't - then it's less painful to stop asking than to keep bloodying our knuckles banging on a locked door.

Yes. You are right Bravus. The options we have are not all pretty. But I choose to believe that God has his hand tied. The rules of the game require that sin run it's course for the Universe to see. Unfortunately we have to live it. It affects us greatly. But we are on screen for all the Universe and for us (His Saints) to see. Sin can never again return. So, we must most throughly hate it and it's results. And Jesus can't just let us off the hook from the results of sin. They must be shown and hated.

Let me also point out that the promises for Spritual help are all present and intact. He will send His Spirit to help us spiritually. I believe all promises are meant for our 'spiritual' good ... not our material good.

It is all about relationship.

In my own personal life, when I have asked, searched my own heart, and if the answer is still not forthcoming or if the answer seems to be no, then my next step is:

When threatened with the fiery furnace, the 3 Hebrews said: "Our God whom we serve is ABLE to deliver us....but IF NOT, be it known to you, ... that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image..."

And:

Of Paul's "thorn in the flesh" he said: "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly6 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor 12:8-10 ESV.

Gerry

In cases like this I wonder if the person isn't so caught up in the problem that they have not heard or felt God answer? Maybe the horrible feelings and thoughts are so ingrained that the sufferer doesn't, can't, or want to let them go? After all, some people become defined by a catastrophic event. If they didn't have all that drama, who would they be?

I'm not saying that this is what is happening to this woman, just that it is this way for some.

Fair comment, but it's not at all like that in this situation. No drama, just complete emotional numbness and no access to her own emotions. If God had answered (at least with a 'Yes') there'd be very noticable changes.

Gerry, I get what you're saying, but that comes back to my earlier question: how is that situation distinguishable from God not existing at all? If we ask and the answer is empirically indistinguishable from the normal operation of the world... why ask?

Personally ... I no longer pray for my trials to be removed. I pray for the strength to endure and overcome the adversary who is providing them.

Redwood wrote:


Very well written and thanks for the reminder. http://www.bibletimelines.org/big_picture_start.htm

Sometimes God does send help but we don't recognize it. If we don't cooperate with the help He sends - such as professional counselors, medication, etc. - then we can't very well blame Him when nothing changes.