TEXT: II Corinthians 1:7

SUBJECT: When God says No.

To this matter, the Bible speaks clearly and often. Psalm 116:1 is representative: "I love the LORD because He has heard my voice and my supplications". Matthew 7:7 is better known: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you". Psalm 50:15 even slipped its way into classic literature: "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will glorify Me".

Abraham prays for his nephew; angels rescue the lingering Lot. Hannah prays for a son; Samuel is born that year. Hezekiah prays for health; 15 years are added to his life. Our Lord prays for Lazarus; the dead man is raised to life. Examples could be multiplied, but they needn't be. For you know how often God has said "yes" to you.

He has said "No" to all of us. A couple prays for a healthy child; the baby is born retarded. A man prays for his sick mother; she dies. A woman prays for an unsaved husband; he becomes worse. A laid-off worker prays for a job; he remains unemployed. A church prays for a straying brother; he never comes back. Each has prayed; each has prayed earnestly; each has prayed with tears; To each God says "No".

We're not alone in this experience. Some of the best known people in Scripture have shared in it. Abraham prays: "O that Ishmael might live before You!" But he doesn't. Moses pleads to enter Canaan, only to be told: "Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter". Paul's "earnest desire and prayer for Israel is, that they might be saved". Yet he dies without seeing his people revived.

Some believers look for the answer within themselves. Psalm 66:18 come to mind: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me". They assume that God's "No" is a direct result of their "iniquity". They search themselves, confess known sins, and pray for renewing grace. At last, they feel purified. They return to their request, pleading more warmly than ever. Yet the answer remains "No". They look for another cause--perhaps a lack of faith. They beg for more faith; they receive it; they pray again--with the same result.

They ransack their souls, looking for the problem, wondering what's wrong with them, wondering why God won't answer their prayers. For many years, they torture themselves. Yet their prayers remain unanswered. Why?

Some find the defect in God. He lacks either the power or the goodness to answer their prayers. The lunatic's father doubted His power: "Lord, if You can do anything, help us". The leper was apprehensive about His goodness: "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me well". Neither had reason to doubt Him. "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear". "The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD".

The problem, therefore, is not in God, it is not in us, it is not in our prayers. Then, where is it? Frankly, there is no problem.

God says "No" that we might feel His comfort and share it with others.

This is the meaning of our text. Paul and his friends were in a very bad way. They were "burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life". It was comparable to being under "a sentence of death". They prayed for deliverance but none came. Their enemies were as hateful as ever; their danger was never greater.

Why didn't God answer their prayer? Here's why: He had something better for them than an answered prayer! What was it? It was His "consolation".

What does this mean? The word means "to come alongside and provide help". It brings to mind a friendly neighbor helping you move your piano.

In context, it signifies the Lord's Presence. In other words, instead of giving Paul and his friends the things they prayed for, God gave them something better: Himself. When He drew near to them in their "sufferings", they received a blessing far greater than relief; they received His "consolation". The comfort or encouragement of knowing "I will never leave you or forsake you". The hymn puts it well:

"Having Thy sweet consolations

We need wish for nothing more".

And so, God answered Paul and Timothy's prayer with His customary largess: He gave them "exceedingly, abundantly above all that they would ask or think". They asked for a blessing; He gave them the blessing of all blessings: Himself.

What would Paul and Timothy do with the blessing? They would heartily enjoy it, of course. But they would also pass it along to others--which is what they did long ago and are still doing.

According to I Corinthians 7:26, the believers in Corinth were about to face an extraordinary crisis. How good it must have been for them to know that God would either rescue them from their "afflictions" or provide them a special "consolation" in their distress. How did they come to know this? Because Paul told them. How did Paul come to know it? Because God didn't answer his prayer!

Therefore, when God says "No" to our prayers, it is not because He's uncaring or malicious. It's because He has a special comfort for us in our suffering. It is when we are lowest that He draws nearest.

Therefore, thank God He doesn't answer our every prayer! Help others in their struggles by reminding them of why their prayers are not always answered: Because God has something better!

We cannot improve upon Paul:

"Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Father of mercies and God

of all comfort".