Disappointment can be hard to face, can’t it?  If you’re like me, there have been many disappointments over the years, some small and others large–maybe even life-changing.  But are disappointments always bad?  Not necessarily.  Sometimes the things we don’t “get” allow us to gain a new and better opportunity.  And sometimes, the things we don’t “get” actually save us from pain and heartbreak.

One place many people struggle with disappointment is in the area of prayer.  They take Jesus’ words that we should “ask anything” in his name to mean that, if we ask “in Jesus’ name,” God WILL do it–period.  But when God doesn’t do what was expected of Him, they become disappointed–even disillusioned.  Their conclusion:  God doesn’t really answer prayer after all.

Several people, including Bill Hybels, have pointed out that God can actually answer our prayers in several ways.  One is “Yes,” but others can be, “Wait,” or “Maybe,” or even “No!”  God’s wisdom is always greater and higher than our own, and sometimes we ask for things that would be unwise for us to receive–at least at that point in time.  God knows and sees that, but we often do not because we cannot.  Even the “right” things can be wrong if the circumstances aren’t right.

So what of praying, “in Jesus’ name” or with his “authority” for something?  Try to remember that the Lord’s name is not some magical incantation.  Jesus’ name is not the same as Hocus Pocus or Abracadabra.  When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we are asking that whatever does happen as a result will be consistent with his purposes and plans–not our own.  It’s asking God to do something if it’s his will.  To some that seems like a lack of faith, but I think it is the ultimate expression of faith.  Why?  Because it says, “God, I’m going to trust you to do what you know is right, not just what I think is right.”

So, from the Lord’s Prayer, pay special attention to that petition, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Remember that, when we pray, it must be with the desire that our lives align with the purposes, character, and will of God–not the other way around.  And when that is our desire and our intent, no matter what answer we get, we’ll see it as the right answer.