Introduction As Father's Day winds down, I've been thinking about fathers' pivotal role in our lives—providing, protecting, guiding, and loving us. This reflection invited me to consider our Heavenly Father's role in our lives and His deep desire t…
As Father's Day winds down, I've been thinking about fathers' pivotal role in our lives—providing, protecting, guiding, and loving us. This reflection invited me to consider our Heavenly Father's role in our lives and His deep desire to give us good things. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus highlights the nature of God's goodness as a Father:
"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Jesus, in Matthew 7:9-11 (NIV)
The Challenge of Unanswered Prayers
For many, the idea of God as a good Father becomes challenging when prayers seem unanswered. If I ask my dad for bread, he'll probably give me bread shortly after I ask him. I'm confident about that. But if I ask God for bread, He might give me bread right now, or He might give me a pickle. Or He may give me bread three weeks from now. Or, worse, He may not give me bread at all, seeming to ignore my prayer.
This is the challenge of faith, of prayer.
When we pray for something and it's not granted, doubts creep in about whether God truly cares. Or whether God truly exists. Suddenly, there are questions about the goodness of God, or even the existence of God, because how could a good God allow so many prayers to go unanswered?
Although my children (hopefully) never doubted my existence, there may have been times when they questioned whether I really loved them because I wouldn't let them get a pet emu, or other such unhealthy or unusual requests.
A Father's Perspective
But here's the thing: as a father, I've faced countless moments when my children asked for things that weren't in their best interest (like the pet emu example). Every "no" was not a refusal of love but an expression of it, grounded in a desire to protect them from harm or to prepare something better for them ("How about if we get a dog instead of an emu?").
Granted, when I told them "no", they could hear me say that. It was an answer, even if they didn't like it.
With God, though, if we do not get what we pray for, it can be challenging to discern whether He's saying "no" or "not yet". Further, if we ask for bread but get a pickle, we may not recognize it as God's answer to our prayer.
This is where faith comes in. Faith, wisdom, and more prayer.
I should note that if you or someone you know can't get past this challenge and can't bring yourself to believe that God exists, a few years ago, I wrote a series of posts under the heading "Beyond Belief", which addresses the most common questions about God's existence. You may want to check it out or recommend it to your non-believing friend.
Anyway, back to faith and prayer and the wisdom to discern God's answers to our pleas.
God's Better Plans
Scripture reminds us that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). He sees the end from the beginning and knows the full implications of our desires and prayers. Just as a father might withhold something harmful from a child or delay a gift until it can be truly appreciated or beneficial, God orchestrates our lives with the wisdom of eternity in mind. Sometimes, this means not receiving what we ask for, because He has something greater in store or because it might lead us away from His best for us.
We can and should keep praying for what we earnestly desire, but we should also ask God to help us understand how He is answering our prayers. Further, we can ask God to help us remember that our relationship with Him and the assurance of our eternity in heaven are ultimately more important than whatever we are begging Him for.
Faith in Our Heavenly Father
This is about developing trust in God's fatherly goodness. It's about believing that He knows us better than we know ourselves, and that His love for us is unfailing—even when it's hard to see in the moment. Embracing this trust means understanding that "no" from God is not a denial of love but a profound expression of it. It means believing that not getting the answer we want when we want it is not the same as God ignoring us or God's apathy or God's non-existence. It means realizing that God loves us more than we love ourselves, and more than we can understand.
Conclusion: Celebrating Our Divine Father
So, even as we have honored and appreciated the earthly fathers in our lives this Father's Day, let's also deepen our appreciation for our Heavenly Father. Let us celebrate His infinite wisdom, His enduring patience, and His unconditional love. Let's remember that His every decision regarding our lives is made from a place of divine love and foresight. Whether we're facing times of joy or challenge, let's hold firm to the belief that our Heavenly Father is always working for our good, teaching us, guiding us, and above all, loving us—just as the best father would.
As we reflect on God's role as our Father, may we find peace in His divine wisdom and reassurance in His promise to give good gifts to His children. Let this understanding transform our relationship with Him, strengthening our faith and our trust in His perfect fatherly care.
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