When God Says No
This article is a spec sample written for portfolio purposes
When life brings challenges, the Christian has a secret weapon to wield. The power of prayer. We pray for the wellbeing of our loved ones, friends, and families. We pray for guidance, strength, and courage through difficult circumstances. We also pray for signs from God of which direction to venture when faced with uncertainty.
Sometimes those signs are favorable, as with Gideon (Judges 6:36-40), while at other times we are nullified, as happened with the Pharisees asking Jesus for a sign (Matthew 12: 38-39). More on those later. It can seem random how God decides to send signs or messages to his believers. It can seem unfair when the sign that is received sends you in an unplanned direction.
My Story
My journey has always involved writing, just not what you would imagine from the author of an article like this. I have always dreamed of being a traditionally published author. It’s something I have spent a significant amount of my prayer time over the course of the last twenty years on. Recently, I prayed for a sign that I was heading in the direction God intended. The sign received wasn’t the one I expected. My path as a fiction writer wasn’t in God’s plans for me.
Has there been a time in your life when you prayed for a sign from God only to receive an answer you didn’t expect? It may be a simple matter of faith.
Biblical Examples of Asking for Signs
Let’s look at Judges 6: 36-40:
Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
In his doubt, Gideon asks for a sign from God. Then another. In this passage we see God’s patience on full display as Gideon doubts Him, not once, but twice. He shows humility when requesting both signs. Gideon was a faithful man that sought reassurance of his path in God’s will. Deemed worthy and faithful, God provided the guidance that was sought.
Matthew 12: 38-39:
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
The Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign to prove his divinity. Jesus rebukes them instead. The Pharisees weren’t asking for a sign out of faith but were attempting to test Jesus, a demonstration that their motives weren’t pure (Mark 8:11).
What can we learn from these two passages when compared? Faith in God’s ability, even when doubting your own worthiness or ability to achieve what God has planned, is crucial. In fact, we are called to have faith no matter the circumstance. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” Philippians 4:13 is a personal favorite of mine. It reads, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Though we may not possess the foresight to see into the future, God does. He knows everything. We are called to trust in Him to provide our way forward, lighting our path.
The Pharisees weren’t pure of heart. Their intentions were unjust. Jesus, being God in human form, knew their intentions and refused to provide the sign they requested.
Should You Ask for Signs?
There isn’t anything inherently wrong with asking God to provide a sign, as long as the heart is coming from a place of faith. If you are testing God, good luck. Test God and your prayer will go ignored. There is a better way.
A Better Prayer Than Asking for Signs
Instead of praying for signs, pray for wisdom and the ability to discern the signs that are already in your life. Pray for your will to align with God’s will for you.
James 1: 5-7:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not be expected to receive anything from the Lord.
“The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Have you ever felt like that? I know I have. Allow God to aid you in properly aligning your will with His. Through faith all things are possible.
Conclusion
I’m still writing fiction, however, I have opened my eyes to the path that God wants me to walk, rather than asking Him to bless the path that I walk. Writing articles of faith is a part of that journey.
Walking with God isn’t about the signs that are sent to you in your daily walk. It’s about faith that he will deliver you from whatever you face, because He is with you and all things are possible through Him. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Pray to align your will with His. If you do that, you might not know the direction you’re heading, but you’ll have faith that God will deliver you there safely.
God bless,
Stephen M. Roth
Stephen Michael Roth 