You’re Not Giving Me An Answer!

“You’re not giving me an answer!” My banking client was almost blue in the face as he repeated his 6-word mantra. The reality of what I could offer him at that time was not matching up to his expectations. He had requested to withdraw a large amount of cash which always takes a few days to complete. Despite being offered a variety of alternatives (a cashier check, wire transfer, etc.), my client continued to cite his mantra, “You’re not giving me an answer!” No matter what option was suggested, it wasn’t an ‘answer’. And that’s the issue, although he did not want to admit it, my client had received an answer. In fact, he had received numerous answers. It just wasn’t the answer he wanted.

Do you think we do that with God sometimes?

The Apostle Peter had a similar moment. Jesus had just revealed to his disciples that he would suffer, go to the cross, and offer his life as a sacrifice. This news was shocking to the disciples. In fact, it was shocking enough that Peter actually rebuked Jesus. “Never Lord!” he said, “This shall never happen to you!” I’m pretty sure the reality that their teacher and Messiah would be put to death was not on the list of answers the disciples wanted to hear. Yet, Jesus’ response to Peter can teach us something: “Get behind me, Satan!” he replied, “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

It’s entirely possible for us to look at a situation and completely miss the concerns of God. We can view our circumstances, prayers, and expected results through our own human concerns and in so doing, ignore or reject answers God may be providing us. The reality of ‘the concerns of God’ shattering the expectations of our own way of viewing things can be a tough pill to swallow. If we’re not careful, we can start repeating our own mantra to God: “You’re not giving me an answer!”

Many years ago I had reached a point in my life where I could go several different paths. Each path would have been a completely different life experience: continue working in the corporate world, start a career in higher education, or step into full-time ministry. I definitely had a preference. I wanted to go into full-time ministry. However, everytime I would try to pursue that path and pray for direction, it seemed as if door after door would close. In a cloud of frustration, I reached out to a friend to confide in them. Their advice to me during that conversation has stuck with me for many years.

“When you pray and seek discernment,” my friend explained, “you have to be willing to receive what God offers.” Of course, in the back of my mind, I thought, “well duh! Anyone knows that..” Yet, they continued, “Sometimes the answer we receive is a ‘yes.’ Sometimes it is a ‘no.’ And, sometimes it is a ‘not yet’! But with each of those responses, you have to think about and reflect on how you can honor God in light of that answer. How will you respond if God gives you an answer you don’t want to hear?” The question hung in the air for a moment. It began to dawn on me that, although I knew in my mind that God can often give answers I may not want to hear, in my heart, I was repeating my own mantra” “You’re not giving me an answer!”

It took time to relinquish my own expectations and to change my mantra to, “God, not my will, but Yours be done.” Interestingly enough, God’s answer for entering ministry was going to be a ‘not yet’. I would spend several years continuing my job in finance, eventually transfer to higher education for a time, and then the doors would open for me to begin pastoring. As Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”