Anyway, what if the unanswer is teaching us not to be more patient but to be more persistent in our prayer? What if God's response isn't a blatant "no"? What if it's more like, "yes, but not now." Or what if what He's really saying is "I can't answer that because you need to be more specific."
I imagine it something like furniture shopping. You go in searching for the perfect couch, right shade, right size, right material. You tell the salesperson that you're not sure what you're looking for and she reassures you that it won't be a problem. A couple hours pass and after you've seen all the couches Ashley Furniture has to offer (not going to be shopping at Pottery Barn any time soon folks), you still find that you haven't found the couch you really envisioned for your child sized living room. So, you leave feeling like you lost out and unsure of when you'll ever find the couch you really need. The salesperson rolls her eyes at your indecisiveness and walks away.
To me I would take that experience as a "no." But what if I would take it as "figure out what you're really wanting and then find it." Be real with your expectations of this couch. Quit playing with the "idea" of what the couch should look like and just be specific. How much should this couch cost me? How are you going to fit it through your tiny third floor door? Will you spend a lot of time on this couch? Will you want to take naps on this couch? The answer to that is a most definite "yes." Preferably after a self-induced Chinese food coma. What color would it have to be? What material? You get the idea.
What if being specific in our prayer gives it the potential of getting an answer faster? Nail down what it is you really want or, in some cases, what it is that you really need. God might want to answer your prayer but wants you to share with Him what it is that you're really asking for. For me, I know my prayers sound a little like, "God, I could really use some help with..." (insert twenty-something girl problem here). And I'm sure if I heard that all the time, I'd eventually tell the whiney caller on the other end that they need to figure out what it is they're really looking for and what exactly they mean by "help."
So try it next time you're about to shoot up a distress flare into the heavens. Stop and ask yourself what is it that you really need at this time and tell God exactly that and nothing less. Yes, He already knows what you need but maybe being specific is more for our sake than for His. We can't be that kid in the grocery aisle asking for everything we see as we pass by on our way to the checkout line. We have to be more purposeful than that, more dedicated to our desires, more respectful of God's graces. When we ask for everything, it's insincere. But when we ask for something, then we can really dedicate ourselves to its pursuit. Then maybe you'll find the answer you've been looking for because you finally know what it looks like.
