If prayer involves reconciling our will to God's, maybe more of our faithful prayers get answered than we think. To me it seems Jesus's prayer WAS answered. Yes, He prayed if possible let this cup pass, but then further prayed: NEVERTHELESS, not my will but thine be done. So that latter phrase was His overriding ask--thy will be done. And that ask was answered, because it was not possible to let the cup pass and still redeem Father's children. When we really see prayer as finding out what the Father wants for us and having courage to go with it, then are any truly faithful prayers are unanswered?
Corey D.February 9, 2024
I enjoy your articles and commentary Brother Peterson, the mixture of academic and religious/spiritual is excellent.
Robert StarlingJanuary 31, 2024
Great article, as usual. Our loving Father doesn't always give us what we want, but He gives us what we need. Even our Savior Jesus Christ did not get the answer he wanted to the most earnest prayer anyone has ever given ("let this cup pass from me"). But like him, we have to say "thy will be done".
Prodicus DiplodicusJanuary 30, 2024
In regard to the last part about Jacob and its connection to our experience with prayer, a nice discourse on the topic is Kierkegaard's, titled "One Who Prays Aright Struggles in Prayer and Is Victorious—in That God Is Victorious."
Pam RoderJanuary 30, 2024
Beautifully said Dan. Nice to have C.S. Lewis's perspective on this as well.
Thank you. Appreciate all that you contribute!
JeanmarieJanuary 29, 2024
Such a beautifully written and insightful article ! It reduced me tears because it is so close to my heart. Thank you for including CS Lewis - I respect his perspective so much ! Thank you !!!
RaLee HallJanuary 29, 2024
Thank you for this well thought out article. Though I knew much of the things you wrote about you increased my understanding and and gave me new insights.
JuliannJanuary 29, 2024
Much in this article to ponder on at a time I have been pondering this very question. Thank you. Opposition in all things ,I believe, means there has to be a balance, whether individually or collectively. If you ask for and expect miracles then you should also expect trials and challenges. If one person is pure evil then another person will be astonishingly angelic. Bitter-sweet, pleasure-pain, knowledge-ignorance. The problem lies in believing we deserve all good if we are trying to be good. I appreciate you pointing out all the ways the Savior was forsaken. The only perfect man received the exact opposite. We need to adjust our expectations.
HelenCJanuary 29, 2024
Heavy stuff. As my prayers for 2 of my own children, like yours for your sweet granddaughter, seem to have gone unanswered, or at least answered with a resounding, “No”, I will be spending some time with your thought, “We should wrestle with them until we receive the blessing.”
There are unquestionable blessings that have come from my losses but they are still not the ones I wanted.
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KaplinMarch 12, 2024
If prayer involves reconciling our will to God's, maybe more of our faithful prayers get answered than we think. To me it seems Jesus's prayer WAS answered. Yes, He prayed if possible let this cup pass, but then further prayed: NEVERTHELESS, not my will but thine be done. So that latter phrase was His overriding ask--thy will be done. And that ask was answered, because it was not possible to let the cup pass and still redeem Father's children. When we really see prayer as finding out what the Father wants for us and having courage to go with it, then are any truly faithful prayers are unanswered?
Corey D.February 9, 2024
I enjoy your articles and commentary Brother Peterson, the mixture of academic and religious/spiritual is excellent.
Robert StarlingJanuary 31, 2024
Great article, as usual. Our loving Father doesn't always give us what we want, but He gives us what we need. Even our Savior Jesus Christ did not get the answer he wanted to the most earnest prayer anyone has ever given ("let this cup pass from me"). But like him, we have to say "thy will be done".
Prodicus DiplodicusJanuary 30, 2024
In regard to the last part about Jacob and its connection to our experience with prayer, a nice discourse on the topic is Kierkegaard's, titled "One Who Prays Aright Struggles in Prayer and Is Victorious—in That God Is Victorious."
Pam RoderJanuary 30, 2024
Beautifully said Dan. Nice to have C.S. Lewis's perspective on this as well. Thank you. Appreciate all that you contribute!
JeanmarieJanuary 29, 2024
Such a beautifully written and insightful article ! It reduced me tears because it is so close to my heart. Thank you for including CS Lewis - I respect his perspective so much ! Thank you !!!
RaLee HallJanuary 29, 2024
Thank you for this well thought out article. Though I knew much of the things you wrote about you increased my understanding and and gave me new insights.
JuliannJanuary 29, 2024
Much in this article to ponder on at a time I have been pondering this very question. Thank you. Opposition in all things ,I believe, means there has to be a balance, whether individually or collectively. If you ask for and expect miracles then you should also expect trials and challenges. If one person is pure evil then another person will be astonishingly angelic. Bitter-sweet, pleasure-pain, knowledge-ignorance. The problem lies in believing we deserve all good if we are trying to be good. I appreciate you pointing out all the ways the Savior was forsaken. The only perfect man received the exact opposite. We need to adjust our expectations.
HelenCJanuary 29, 2024
Heavy stuff. As my prayers for 2 of my own children, like yours for your sweet granddaughter, seem to have gone unanswered, or at least answered with a resounding, “No”, I will be spending some time with your thought, “We should wrestle with them until we receive the blessing.” There are unquestionable blessings that have come from my losses but they are still not the ones I wanted.
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