Mutual Theme - 2017

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God" (James 1:5-6)

Asking of God is fundamental to many other questions. If He exists, if he cares about me, and if I am truly His son - then so many things become clear. Not necessarily easy, but clear. This video is wonderfully done and really brings the Spirit. The real-life situations we face, the doubts and fears we all have are referenced here in a positive way.

When stock answers fail

Nevertheless, the video didn't address an important question: "What if my prayer is not answered"? This is not a straightforward question by any stretch, which is perhaps why the video couldn't have possibly addressed it in three minutes -- and especially to the backdrop of an upbeat of "contemporary gospel" song.

Yes, No, or ... how about Not Yet?

What about the "Not Yet" refrain? This has always been a somewhat comforting answer to how prayers are eventually answered. It has been said that our prayers are always answered, just not always on our time schedule. This must be true, because it considers the reason for our existence: Faith. We could not, nor should we, get quick answers to prayers if we are to build faith. And, nothing builds faith more than enduring adversity. So while there is definitely a relationship between prayer, faith and adversity -- there is also more to subject.

Why me?

Prayers for specific help, in specific circumstances, with specific time-frames have often gone unheeded. Many prayers of righteous Jews, being held at Auschwitz in 1943, for their families and innocent children to be spared were not answered. Lehi's prayers for his wayward sons Laman and Lemuel were certainly not answered. And the list goes on. When the request is righteous, when it seems "right", when the petitioner has much faith and endured much adversity - the prayer can still go unanswered. Is it enough to simply shrug and say that the concept of free-will is so inviolate that God chooses to allow bad things to happen still? Well, yes. That happens to be (part of) the answer, as difficult as it is to hear.

Does this disprove God? No. Not anymore than explaining it a million different ways in perfect prose proves that there IS a God.

Order out of Chaos

There are many factors to consider: not just faith, adversity, free-agency, etc. It seems obvious here in mortality, we are only capable of grasping these issues from our earthly viewpoint. So, like many things, this seems to be a classic case of not knowing what we don't know. Also termed, more elegantly - conscious incompetence. Even still, it's worth trying to understand to the extent that we can.

This is where turning to the words of the prophets can help. Dallin Oaks discussed the conditions of Priesthood Blessings being fulfilled:

"...We must always remember that faith and the healing power of the priesthood cannot produce a result contrary to the will of Him whose priesthood it is." (GC April 2010)

It seems as though His free agency reigns supreme. So, even asking for that "which is right", as a qualifier to getting our prayers answers is still further qualified by His will. See D&C 42:48 and D&C 46:30. That's tough medicine, but not having things go our way all the time isn't the worse thing in the world, as my own Dad would say to me. The truth is, most of our righteous prayers of faith are answered, some quite quickly. That has been my observation, over 30 years, of people of varied faiths and varied situations. The one thing in common they had was faith, patience and work. Sometimes a sense of humor helps too.

Is No Answer an Answer?

Yes, it is.

Just like how sometimes not making a choice has the effect of actually making a choice, then why not this too? A no-answer can fall into three categories, when you think about it:

1. A quick No. We truly got 'no-answer' and are left to understand the lesson, the alternatives, and the blessings in disguise, as if the adversity we face itself is an answer to our prayers!
2. Wait, what? We got an answer but we didn't recognize it. I suspect that happens a lot more than we think.
3. Are we there yet? We are in the process of getting an answer, just not yet. It could depend on us, timing, others, who knows?

Effectual and Fervent

So, whether we can change things or not, whether it's God's will or not, ...even whether "it is right" or not, we have to approach prayer as James so vivedly taught: Asking in faith, nothing wavering and upbraiding not (James 1:5). That by itself can be difficult since by nature we waver, we hedge, we doubt, we dawdle. Not wavering in our faith and grounding ourselves in the things we do know is what's required.

Finally, later in the epistle, Paul tells James that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). Intensity and focus are also required. This is what brings the "yes" answer and also what makes enduring any "no" possible.