Unanswered Prayer? Try Reframing Your Question

Does God answer your questions? I admit, I don’t ask very many questions, but when I do, I usually get an answer. There isn’t a preferred answer because my questions usually ask for guidance or information about weather. One morning I asked and didn’t get an answer. Nada. Nothing.

In our ranching days, weather was a big deal. Fertilizer was uber-expensive but worthless if an application wasn’t followed by rain. Weather is also critical when cutting hay. “Make hay while the sun shines” isn’t some random saying; it’s the recipe for nutritious well-cured hay.

Trusting God’s Answers

In all the years I grew and baled hay, my fertilizer was always rained in and my hay cut and baled in great weather. I asked, “Should I put out fertilizer?”, “Should I cut hay today?”, or “Will it rain?” Whatever the answer, I followed His lead.

Over the past few years grass burrs became my new arch-nemesis. The little evils pester, plague, and annoy me. They’re segregated to a few spots, but any little evil is too much. I declared war on them two years ago and hope to apply the fatal blow this year.

Asking for Guidance

I pre-emerged at the perfect time in February, being reminded by more than one source that it needed to be watered in thoroughly. I drug hundreds of feet of hose where necessary on one day and God blessed us with beautiful rains on another. A second application is necessary to do the most damage to the little evils. The folks who tell you what the weather will be said there was a good chance of rain the coming weekend so my husband picked up more pre-emergent.

My intention was to systematically broadcast it and follow up with hoses if the rain didn’t materialize. But before I did that, I figured I’d check in with the One who manages weather and has all the answers.

I asked, “Lord, will it rain this weekend?”

No answer.

Thinking that maybe the connection wasn’t clear, I asked again.

“Will it rain this weekend?”

Total silence. Not a whiff of a response. Of any kind.

The Answer is Silence

That was odd. I wondered if my listener was broken. I thought about that a bit. Then decided to try a more direct approach. Forget the weather…

“Should I put out the pre-emergent?”

The answer was perfectly clear, “Check the dates.”

There should be a specific period of time between the first and second applications. I was pretty sure I was on the money this weekend. I pulled up the label online to see how long the interval should be.

Ten weeks.

Okay. I looked on my calendar to see when I put out the first application.

February 4^th and 5^th.

I counted the weeks.

The next application isn’t due for another two weeks.

Try Reframing the Question

An answer to my question, “Will it rain?” wouldn’t have helped. God didn’t answer that question.

The right question, “Should I put out the pre-emergent?” was answered with guidance, not specifically. I find that interesting. Empowering. Humorous. A simple answer wouldn’t have taught me anything. More than that, now I’ll remember the time frame.

I imagine God shaking His head at my ridiculous question. Why ridiculous? Because I already had the answer in my hand. Was I wrong to pray? Certainly not. But I did learn a lesson.

There’s always a lesson.

Prayers God Always Answers

God is amazing and His Holy Spirit ever-present. The next time you don’t get an answer to a prayer for guidance, wisdom, or information, try reframing your question.

Specific prayers don’t always get specific responses. At least, mine don’t. Asking for wisdom, knowledge, and great faith are prayers God answers.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5

This time, at least for me, that did the trick.

To Him be all glory, forever.

Related post: When God Answers Prayer With “Get it Yourself”

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