Why Does God Not Answer Our Prayer

The Hardest Question

Acts 11-15

“And he (Herod) had James, the brother of John, put to death with a sword… When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod.” (Acts 12:2, 11)

                  The most perplexing question we struggle with is “Why?” Why do circumstances happen? Why is one person healed of cancer while another is not? Why do bad things happen to some while others enjoy God’s blessing and tranquility? These are not just hypothetical questions but ones we deal with all the time in life. We read the scriptures where God promises to answer our prayers, and then we see that evident in our lives. But there are other times when we pray and heaven remains silent, seemingly indifferent to the plight we are facing. 

                  Acts 12 begins with the outbreak of persecution against Christians in Jerusalem. Motivated by his own greed and desire for popularity, Herod did not make choices based on what was right or wrong. Rather, he based his decisions on what would gain him popularity with the people and thus more power to do as he pleased. Because the Jews and Jewish leaders opposed the church and its message about Christ, Herod had one of the key leaders, James, the brother of John, executed. We can only imagine what went through James’s mind as he was arrested. Previously, Peter and the apostles (probably James as well) had been arrested. On that occasion, God had miraculously delivered them. So perhaps James was praying, perhaps even expecting, that God would do this again. However, in this case there was no deliverance, and Herod had him executed.

                  Seeing the execution of James gained him favor with the people. Herod had Peter arrested with the same intent to have him executed. However, instead of being led to his executioners, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in his cell and led Peter out of the prison, opening the doors and walking freely past the very guards who were stationed to ensure that no one would orchestrate his escape. So remarkable was his deliverance that even those who were praying for him were astounded by his freedom.

                  This leads us to the paradox: Why did God allow James to be executed but miraculously deliver Peter from the same fate? If God is powerful enough to bring salvation to one, then why not the other? We wrestle with the same question. Why does God deliver one person from adversity but remain indifferent to another? Why do some have their prayers answered while others' prayers go unanswered? If God could deliver Peter, why did he not deliver James? Was it because Peter had more faith than James, or because Peter was more righteous? Peter certainly did not exhibit great faith when the angel appeared, for he did not believe it was true but thought it was only a vision in the night (vs9).  

                  The answer to this question does not lie in our own reason but in our trust in God. God views things differently. He has a different perspective, for he sees the beginning from the end. He sees events in light of eternity, while we see them only from the perspective of the present. His purpose and acts are grounded in eternity, while ours are based only on our present perception. What seems arbitrary to us is purposeful to God. Instead of questioning God, all we can learn to do is to live by faith, knowing that his actions and his answer to prayer are grounded in a higher and greater understanding. When life seems arbitrary, we can have faith that, with God, everything has a purpose, and for those who trust in him, that purpose is always what is best in light of eternity (see Isaiah 55:8-9). The answer to the question “why” is found in asking the question “who.” Who is in control?  The answer is God, and that is all we need to know.