When I Pray, Why Do Things Get Worse?

Q: When we pray, many times things stay the same, or get even worse. Why doesn't God answer our request? We pray and pray, begging God for an answer, and things only get worse.









A: God answers our prayers, this we know for a fact. But sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better. Yes, I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but let me explain. There are times when God, in order to remake us, has to break us. In order for God to make something out of us, He has to chisel away our pride and our sins. This can be unpleasant at times, especially when we are stubborn and set in our ways. God has to break all our old habits before He can teach us new and better habits. The more stubborn and set in our ways we are, the longer the processes of remaking us will take.









Think of God as the potter, and us as the clay. The clay doesn't tell the potter how to shape the clay, the clay yields to the potter's hands. In the same way, we must yield to the hands of God as He shapes and remakes us. We must surrender our will to God, we must say, "Not my will, but Yours be done." Just as Christ surrendered His will to the Father, so must we.









The Bible says:









And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,




to them who are the called according to his purpose.




(Romans 8:28)

 

[Steven Bobb]

The question that reasonimg leaves, is, it limits God to only ONE way of doing things.I'm sure if He's all knowledgeable, He knows of other ways.And He can make them just as effective.Also, if problems are a "boost" to our spiritual growth, why are there prayer sites, and prayer boxes, etc. If hard times are good for us, why pray for one another?

 

[Newbie]

1 hour ago, Steven Bobb said:




The question that reasonimg leaves, is, it limits God to only ONE way of doing things.I'm sure if He's all knowledgeable, He knows of other ways.And He can make them just as effective.Also, if problems are a "boost" to our spiritual growth, why are there prayer sites, and prayer boxes, etc. If hard times are good for us, why pray for one another?


​

1. Can God do things differently? Yes, He probably could, since He is all powerful.









Now, the exact reason as to why He chooses to do it this way is unknown to us in this life, God thinks differently then you or me, His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8) I can however, tell you my personal theory.









My theory is that the reason why God chooses to remake us in this way is because to do it any other way would be to violate our free will. God could force us to change, He could snap His fingers and say, "Hey Presto" and we would be different. But that would violate our free will. And God will not violate our free will. He has given us the choice of good or evil, the right way or the wrong way, and He will not choose for us.









2. Nobody enjoys suffering, problems, trials or tests. But it is through problems, trials, tests and suffering, that we learn the most valuable lessons. The Bible puts it like this. "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." ( Isaiah 48:10)









What is the use of prayer? It is through suffering that in our desperation we turn to God, begging Him for help. It is in that moment, as we cry before the Lord in our desperation, that the Lord can begin to work in us. In order not to violate our free will, God needs us to ask for help. Then He will step in and begin His work in us. It is through our prayers that we give, in a manner of speaking, our "permission" for God to begin His will in our lives. God gave us free will, and He will not violate it, so we must surrender our will to Him.

 

[Steven Bobb]

I know what you're saying,but I would also say it depends on what the problem is.I wouldn't say EVERY problem is a spiritual lesson.Like, say you just found a white shirt you were looking for for an occasion. then when you put it on, you get a tomato sauce strain on it!!(Or you're trying to make a deadline,andyou find there's a traffic problem. (And you're borderline late already.}I say sometimes it's just that we're in a fallen world, and were in the wrong place at the wrong time.I fail to see how getting tomato sauce on a white shirt can give spiritual growth.On the other hand, I've had times when maybe I reacted to people in a way I shouldn't have,and in time, someone did it to me, which SHOWED ME where I was wrong. But I just don't think we can use a "one size fits all" answer,If the dentist places a temporary crown on a tooth, and it falls out on the weekend when he's closed, how do you get spiritual growth?

 

[Newbie]

1 hour ago, Steven Bobb said:




I know what you're saying,but I would also say it depends on what the problem is.I wouldn't say EVERY problem is a spiritual lesson.Like, say you just found a white shirt you were looking for for an occasion. then when you put it on, you get a tomato sauce strain on it!!(Or you're trying to make a deadline,andyou find there's a traffic problem. (And you're borderline late already.}I say sometimes it's just that we're in a fallen world, and were in the wrong place at the wrong time.I fail to see how getting tomato sauce on a white shirt can give spiritual growth.On the other hand, I've had times when maybe I reacted to people in a way I shouldn't have,and in time, someone did it to me, which SHOWED ME where I was wrong. But I just don't think we can use a "one size fits all" answer,If the dentist places a temporary crown on a tooth, and it falls out on the weekend when he's closed, how do you get spiritual growth?


​

Yes, you are correct in saying that not all of the many problems and difficulties we face lead to spiritual growth. However, in most cases there is a lesson, perhaps not always spiritual, to be learned. Let's look at your examples:









1. If you cannot find a shirt you need for a special event, perhaps the lesson is to be more organized.









2. If you get dressed in your special clothes for an event, and while you are waiting you eat something and get food all over your clothes, thus making them unusable for the event, perhaps the lesson to be learned is to be more careful when you eat.









3. If you are on your way to an event/meeting, and there is a traffic problem, thus making you late for your deadline, perhaps the lesson to be learned is that when you have to go somewhere important, leave early rather then simply on time.









Yes, these are not spiritual lessons and you have done no great "spiritual growing", but there are also physical, practical lessons to be learned in life as well as spiritual.









And at times it will simply be an attack of the Devil, attempting to discourage you. But it is through these attacks and victories against Satan that our faith grows stronger. (James 1:3)

 

[Bartonn]

Trust in the Lord. Wait for Him. Like Job did. In the middle of all his trials and tribulations, in the middle of his illness and his wife telling to curse God and die, we should hold on the hand of the Lord. His mercy is deeper than the ocean floor. He loves you and cares for you. He will make you see the light at the end of the tunnel and Jesus will be waiting for you there.

 

[Matthew01]

Wonderful article on trusting and waiting for the Lord! God bless