The Problem: When God Says No

By Max Lucado

There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get. You’re not being picky or demanding; you’re only obeying his command to “ask God for everything you need” (Phil. 4:6). All you want is an open door or an extra day or an answered prayer, for which you will be thankful.

And so you pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait. May I ask a very important question? What if God says no? What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, “I’ve given you my grace, and that is enough,” will you be content?

 That’s the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has. Test yourself with this question” What if God’s only gift to you were his grace to you. Would you be content? You beg him to save the life of your child. You plead with him to keep your business afloat. You implore him to remove the cancer from your body. What if his answer is, “My grace is enough.” Would you be content?

You see, from heaven’s perspective, grace is enough. If God did nothing more than save us from hell, could anyone complain? If God saved our souls and then left us to spend our lives leprosy struck on a deserted island, would he be unjust? Having been given eternal life, dare we grumble at an aching body? Having been given heavenly riches, dare we bemoan earthly poverty?

Let me be quick to add, God has not left with “just salvation.” If you have eyes to read these words, hands to hold this book, the means to own this volume, he has already given you grace upon grace. The vast majority of us have been saved and then blessed even more!

But there are those times when God, having given us his grace, hears our appeals and says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Is he being unfair?

In God Came Near I’ve told how our oldest daughter fell into swimming pool when she was two years old. A friend saw her and pulled her to safety. What I didn’t tell was what happened the next morning in my prayer time. I made a special effort to record my gratitude in my journal.

 I told God how wonderful he was for saving her. As clearly as if God himself were speaking, this question came to mind:

Would I be less wonderful had I left drown? Would I be any less a good God for calling her home? Would I still be receiving your praise this morning had I not saved her?

Is God still a good God when he says no?