This Week’s Recovery Application Challenge
Prior to proceeding to this week’s application challenge, please complete this week’s lesson by clicking TWIRL 032.
When God Says “No” or “Wait”
Having established in TWIRL 032 that God does respond to prayer with “no” and “wait” (as evidenced by that response to His own son) for our good and our best, it is time to learn a deeper point.
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.” “What is your request?” he asked. They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. Mark 10:35-39 (NLT)
Jesus, knowing what he would experience in the flesh, warned his friends to be careful what they pursue and ask for. The motives of James and John were selfish, though perhaps they were also motivated by service in Christ’s eternal kingdom. The reality of what Jesus would endure to experience God’s best he knew was more than his friends could endure in the flesh.
God, our loving Heavenly Father, desires to bless us. Jesus came to earth to model blessing, not only through His sacrifice at the cross, but also throughout His ministry. He healed the lame and the blind, cast out demons, fed the masses, and even blessed the little children of innocent unabashed faith.
“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. Mark 10:14-16 (NLT)
Jesus also had a word for those wanting what they want when they want it, which usually is selfish and at the expense of following the instruction and direction laid out in the Word of God. Jesus said:
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Mark 8:34-37 (NLT)
The Bible says in a number of places that “obedience is better than sacrifice”. You see, both obedience and sacrifice are for our benefit. Even though God is pleased by both our obedience and our sacrifice, He is never more God or less God because we obeyed Him or served Him. We are more of what He intended us to be when we obey Him and serve Him. However, our sacrifice is meaningless without first demonstrating obedience as our expression of worship.
Pastor Fran Leeman said, “When God calls us to obedience, it is an act of mercy.” Let this resonate with you for a moment. Pastor Fran then said, “Ask yourself the question, ‘When God says “no”, is it His intention to oppress me, or is God’s intention to protect me?'” As this truth begins to truly sink in to your thoughts and prayer life, your motivation as you pray is what Christ’s motivation was when He prayed, “If this cup could pass from me, but your will be done.”
- What are you praying for that you might be discouraged sensing that God response is “no”?
- Why would God be responding “no” to your request?
- How might what you want be something that God would respond “no”, even when you feel strongly that it would be His will to grant your request?
- What do you think might be the intention of God to allow you to struggle through something?
- Why do you think God might be “withholding blessing” from you?
- Considering what you have learned in this lesson and application, what can you ask God for?
- If it was not your answer to the previous question, perhaps you can ask God for wisdom, which He has promised you (read James chapter 1).
- What does it mean to you that God has called us to obedience as an act of mercy?
- Being honest with yourself, do you ever feel as though God is oppressing you—holding you back? Explain.
- Being honest with yourself, what is your motivation for what you are asking God for, regardless of the nature of what you are asking?
- Take some time now to participate in some conversation with God concerning these things. Ask Him to help you to share his motivation and intention for your life and the life of your family. Pursue the blessing of wisdom and follow Jesus Christ in your life seeking to obey Him as the vehicle to what is right, good, and best for your life in all your experience.
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