No Answer...?

The initial quote is from: https://athonitetestimony.com/why-dont-we-receive-help/

Sometimes it happens that even after deep, insistent prayer we don't receive any help. Why? Without any doubt such kinds of situations sadden and puzzle us and they put our faith to a difficult test.

Let us remember what the Savior once told the Apostles when they asked Him why God doesn't always answer to our supplications:

He told them because “you don’t know what you ask for” (Mark 10, 38), in other words, because you don't always ask for what is useful for you.

This is what happens with us as well. We think that what we ask for is useful for us, but if we see that God doesn't answer us, we must understand that it is not useful for us, although all evidence tells us just the opposite and that we deserve it.

When we don't receive what we’ve prayed for, we should know that what we desire resembles nice looking, but poisonous fruit and only because of this reason our Father in the heavens refuses them to us, despite the fact that we, being ignorant, might judge Him and might say that He is not good and just with us and that He gives to others what we deserve.

We should also see that He did not give us what we asked because He knew that what we asked for would have been without any avail for us. On the contrary, they might have led us to mistakes, temptations and sufferings. Thus God kept us from harming ourselves.

We are assured throughout the writings of the Scriptures that anything we ask in His Name will be given to us. We hear this promise over and again. However, we must not delude ourselves: Our Father in Heaven loves us, and even in the name of His Son, Whom He promised to grant us anything we ask of through, He will not give us that which He alone can see will harm us or bring us damnation. 

I am reminded of the story of St. Panteleimon’s prayers for a monk’s health. 

In the Kalyve of St. John Chrysostomos, which belongs to the Koutloumousiou Monastery’s Skete of St. Panteleimon, there was a Monk Daniel struggling in asceticism, though he had been sick for over twenty years: his head, back, kidneys, heart, feet, and sometimes his whole body, hurt. He had been to many doctors and had under- gone many examinations, X-rays, and radiography, all with the same outcome.The doctors could not find any bodily disorder; nevertheless, the brother continued to suffer from an inexplicable illness, with which doctors and science were unable to help him.

During the Vigil for the Feast of St. Panteleimon that year, Brother Daniel, with great faith and tears in his eyes, besought St. Panteleimon with these words: “O Saint of God and Patron of our Skete, you who are a doctor and who, for the love of Christ, were martyred and shed your blood, beseech Christ our Master to grant me my health, so that I, too, will be able to glorify His Name and chant during Vigils in good health.”

Having said this, from his pain and exhaustion, Monk Daniel fell into light sleep and saw St. Panteleimon in a vision kneeling before the throne of God and asking for the brother’s health to be restored.

Monk Daniel heard Christ the Master say to St. Panteleimon: “My brother, Great Martyr Panteleimon, are you perhaps more compassionate than I? Or do you have greater love for the people than I do? I know that you shed your blood for My sake, but did I not also shed My Blood for the salvation of men’s souls? Know that it is My will, and it is often to one’s advantage, that one’s body be sick, that his soul might be saved. This is how I desire many people to be saved.”

When Brother Daniel heard these words, he woke up and glorified the Name of God, also thanking St. Panteleimon for his efforts and intercession. And immediately, as he himself told us, a burden was lifted from him and he was inwardly assured that he must bear his cross and his illness with patience and thanksgiving.

So my brothers and sisters, though life can be hard we must rest assured that God never rests in His love for us. 

Let us with all faith ask His help, even in small things, knowing that His love will keep us from doing evil to ourselves, and, when He seems slow to respond, let us leave all these things to Him and say, “May it be blessed.” having no further concern of the outcome.

Amen.