Isabella Morganthal, author and founder of a magazine for young girls, has a lot of wisdom for her twenty years. If you’ve read Chapter 1 (Questions & Answers) of Even If Not, you’ll understand why I smiled real big when reading her words below, the ones she wrote for you in this space. Welcome to this little corner of the Internet, Bella. Thank you for sharing wisdom and truth with us through your words.
My eyes were riveted to the TV where every channel seemed to be saying something about Hurricane Irma. I was shocked by the power of the winds and the floodwaters — the devastating images scrolling across the screen in front of me. I was scared for the people I loved throughout southern Florida, and concerned for their safety.
Inwardly, my heart ached.
Texas had just faced such devastation from Hurricane Harvey, and now Florida was getting hit too? I didn’t understand.
Actually, there are a lot of moments when I just don’t understand what God is doing.
Like during those times when I pray for physical healing and yet I still suffer. Or when I ask God for a dream that still goes unfulfilled.
God, why do You allow so many prayers to seemingly go unanswered?
It’s the question heavy on my heart.
I continue watching the TV as the power of Hurricane Irma in Florida only grows stronger. Yes, these moments make me wonder. They cause me to cry out…
Why? Why would You give us the opposite of the good things we pray for, if You are a good God?
For it’s not that I pray for anything bad. I pray for healing, I pray for relief from pain, I pray for so many things that I think would be better if they worked out how I think they should. I prayed the hurricanes would not make landfall.
But when I don’t get those things I thought were “good,” the truth is that I only want to know why. Maybe if I knew why, it wouldn’t hurt so much in the end.
So, God, just tell me why.
The answer He gives is not really what I expect at all. At first I wonder if it is even an answer.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” – Jeremiah 33:3
What great and mighty things? I keep calling out to Him, but I’m still not getting the answer to why my prayers remain “unanswered.”
Maybe…
“For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:11-13
When I pray to Him and seek Him out to give me the answers, then I find Him? When I search with all of my heart, He is the answer I find?
Something in my heart clicks. It’s like one of those lightbulb moments. I finally get it.
I’m not receiving the answer I am searching so hard for, because I am searching for the wrong answer.
The answer to why I went through something wouldn’t really take away the pain. I need something deeper. I need to know that even though things didn’t go according to my “good” plan, they are still going according to God’s “great” plan — because He knows the thoughts He thinks towards me and they are great. I need to know that even in my pain, when I search for Him, He will be right there. He is the God who will never leave me or forsake me. He is listening every time I call His name.
He is the God who will never leave or forsake you either, friend. He is the One listening every time you cry out, “Why? This isn’t fair!” He is the One gently nudging your soul, “I am the answer to your pain.”
He is the answer.
The answer that brings you healing. The answer that brings you hope. The answer that reminds you that no matter what seems to go wrong in your life, He’s got it all under control and it’s all going to be okay in the end.
He did not leave your prayers unanswered.
He did not turn away.
He was simply waiting to give you the better answer of Himself. If only you would search for Him with all your heart.
Some great truths in there! So proud of you, Bella!!
Well written Bella! You are so right. We don’t understand and we always ask why. But we just need to remember : Proverbs 3:5-6
I think we sometimes forget “no” is an answer. Jesus’ model is to pray according to the Father’s will, and know that His plan is perfect (even when it looks like a lot of devastation–huge fires burning thousands of acres in Oregon near where I live). I mean, why not send a little of the rain flooding Texas and Florida to Oregon and quench the fires? Seems like a reasonable and good plan to me.
But God’s thoughts are higher than ours and His ways are perfect. I think the more God says “no” the more we learn to trust and depend on Him…once we get past our very human inclination to ask “Why?”
Great post. Thanks for the encouragement.
Oh, the struggle of circumstances and emotions! Always questioning the why’s, why not’s and the no’s. I keep praying for the Lord to change my perspective when he chooses not to change my circumstances. Hopefully, this will come with increased wisdom too.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful words. What a blessing it was to my family and me to know and feel the presence of God through the numerous prayers lifted up as we waited patiently for the eye of Hurricane Irma to pass through our community. Our nation has come together to pray and to rebuild, and for this I am grateful.
Wow, Bella! You always have a way of writing your article as if you were one on one. Simply wonderful! I am so glad you were able to be featured here! :D
This is beautiful!!!