“Can one’s faith fail him or her?”

Novemberber 2021 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: Can one’s faith fail him or her? I was praying, believing strongly and working to have or achieve something before the end of a year. But even in two years I have not been able to have what I’ve been asking for. Does this mean that my faith in God, to have that thing, has disappointed me?

ANSWER: After reading your explanation of your experience that causes you to ask this question, I would like to ask you some questions too. Do you feel that you can command God Almighty to do your will if your faith is strong enough? If so, wouldn’t this make you more powerful than God Himself? Do you believe that God is absolutely sovereign, absolutely wise and absolutely loving?

My friend, God – the God who created heaven and earth – is absolutely sovereign, meaning He can do anything and everything He desires. There is no one higher or greater than He. He has no boss. He is Lord of all! And not only this, He is all-wise. He not only knows all things, having created all things, but He knows our thoughts and desires, and He knows what is best for us.

Because of the work of salvation Jesus finished on the cross at Calvary, God is now Father to everyone who has received His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as his or her personal Savior. Being Father, He wants the best for every one of His children. Being sovereign, He is able to do what is best for them. Being all-wise, He knows what is best. Being our Father, He loves us with wonderful love. In fact the Bible tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV) that He loved us with an “everlasting love,” that is, even before He made us.

As Father to every true Christian, God can basically give three answers to his or her request in prayer: “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” He has laid down conditions for granting our personal requests. Some of these are:

• To ask in faith without doubting (Jas. 1:5-8),
• To ask in the name of His Son, our Lord Jesus (Jn. 14:13-14, 16:23-24),
• To ask according to His will (1 Jn. 5:14-15),
• To abide in Christ, and have His words abide in the one asking (Jn. 15:7),
• Not to ask for something simply for our own pleasures (Jas. 4:3), and
• Not to be regarding iniquity in one’s heart (Ps. 66:18).

A wise human father will not give his toddler a sharp knife to play with no matter how much the child might beg or cry for it. The answer is a solid, “No.” When the child grows older, depending on its personality or attitude, the father might teach the child how to use and not use such items, or he might still say, “Wait.” This human father may eventually come to the point where he feels he can safely trust his child not to misuse or carelessly use such an instrument, and he can then say, “Yes.” God, our all-wise Father, may act similarly. Hebrews 12:9-11 reminds us that in training us our fathers acted as seemed best to them, and God our Father does what He does for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

It is not the greatness of our faith that secures the answers to our prayers from God that we desire. Rather, it is the wisdom, love and sovereignty of God by which the answers to our prayers are given. We cannot force God. Perhaps you had faith in your faith – thinking your faith was strong enough to compel God to give you that for which you were praying. In such a case, consider whether God has not, perhaps, used the past two years to teach you that faith in your own faith is worthless. Faith in Him – in His goodness, love, sovereignty and wisdom – is far superior.

Furthermore, the Lord Jesus has asked us to abide in Him. This means to live in an intimate relationship with Him. Then we will not be asking for things for our own pleasure. Actually, if we truly are abiding in Him, what we ask for will be according to His will. We can ask for such things according to His will and ask for them in His name.

Praying in His name is far more than merely saying, “In Jesus’ name I pray,” as you end your prayer. We certainly cannot attach His holy name to prayers for anything sinful or questionable. Prayers made in His name should be prayers that He, the Holy One who knew no sin, would be praying if He were in our shoes.

From what you wrote it seems obvious that God has not in the past two years answered your prayers with a “Yes.” If you feel that what you have been praying for is really something that is pleasing to God, what the Lord Jesus would happily attach His name to, keep praying! God has probably been saying to you, “Wait!” He may be testing the sincerity and persistence of your faith. On the other hand, if you feel you may have been praying for this matter with wrong motivation or outside of the will of God, why don’t you admit that to God and stop praying for the concern.

Please do not blame your faith or your lack of it. God knows what He is doing and why He is doing it, and He is God!

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.