Thought provoking to say the least.

“If it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39). This was also Zac Smith’s prayer. We all hope that God would answer our prayers. But does God always answer the way we want Him to? “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (v. 39). Besides the unanswered Gethsemane prayer, there are two other recorded instances in the Bible where God did not answer prayer. The first was of David who prayed for the life of his baby son (2 Samuel 12:16-18), and the second was that of Paul who prayed for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh” (see 2 Cor. 12:7-10). In both cases, David and Paul were revealed God’s reason for not answering their prayer. In David’s case it was because of his disobedience and sin, and in Paul’s case it was because God told him that His grace was sufficient and that God’s strength would be made perfect in his weakness. “For when I am weak, I am strong” (v. 10). In Zac’s case, there must have been unrevealed reasons that moved God to not answer Zac’s urgent request for healing of his stage 4 cancer. Even through his affliction, however, we do know that Zac was made strong in his weakness. Zac still knew that God had a plan for his life, and he grew closer to God. If God chose to heal Zac, then God was good; if God chose to not heal Zac, then God was still good. Zac accepted this. Zac’s story should be an inspiration to all of us.

We may not know why God chooses not to heal us or answer our prayers as we think they should be answered, but we do know that Zac gave the glory to God even to the end of his earthly life. Some people would use this as a reason not to believe in God, or would presume that God does not answer prayer. This is not the case, however, as there is strong evidence that prayer does work. Why would there be so many testimonials and books written as evidence of God’s healing power and answers to prayer? God wants us to believe. God wants us to fervently pray to Him. And God wants us to put Him to the test in prayer, for it is God’s highest pleasure to answer prayer and to prove the reliability of His promises in the Bible.