Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV)
Last weekend I was staying with out-of-state family, so I went with them to their church. The sermon was titled, “What Do You Do When Your Prayers Aren’t Answered Yet?” — a question many of us wrestle with.
I went through a deep season of wrestling myself last December. I had prayed for nearly a year for healing for my dog, and yet she wasn’t improving. I know a beloved pet isn’t the same as a spouse or child — much less the huge events happening in the world — but praying for Gigi still tested my faith. I don’t think I truly came through that test until I reached a new place of surrender to God’s sovereignty.
Last Sunday, the pastor used snow as a metaphor for prayer. His point was that we should never lose hope, because our prayers are not lost — they are being gathered in heaven. Snow begins with just a few flakes, but if it keeps falling, it can accumulate into deep drifts. In the same way, our prayers “pile up.”
In Acts 10 we read about Cornelius and his family coming to faith:
“He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly” (Acts 10:2 NIV). Because of this faithfulness, an angel told him, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God” (v. 4), and then gave him instructions to send for Peter.
This Gentile family’s prayers had not only been heard by God — they had made such an impact that they were described as a memorial before Him.
When I think of a memorial in biblical times, I picture something tangible and lasting, like the stone marker Jacob set up after wrestling through the night (Genesis 32). Memorials help us remember, and several translations of Acts 10 emphasize that God remembered Cornelius because of his faithfulness.
The prayers and generosity of this family were seen, noticed, and remembered by God — and He was ready to answer.
In a similar way, our prayers may be accumulating like snowfall over time. I don’t believe there is some fixed “threshold” we must reach before God responds, and there’s no simple explanation for why some prayers seem unanswered. But that wasn’t the point of Sunday’s sermon. The message was much simpler:
Persevere.
Keep going.
Keep praying.
Keep hoping.
Stay steadfast.
We don’t know which final snowflake might trigger an avalanche, and we don’t know when we may be just one prayer away from breakthrough.
No prayer is wasted.
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!*
God,
Thank You for caring for us, watching over us with deep love, and hearing every prayer we bring to You. Today, may we be strengthened and encouraged by the truth that no prayer is wasted. Help us to be people who pray continually, entrusting You with all our cares and concerns and faithfully interceding for the world. We ask this in Jesus’ name, AMEN.
*”Sweet Hour of Prayer” by William W. Walford (1845)
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. (1 Peter 5:6-7 AMP)
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa. (Acts 10:1-7 NIV)
h/t Jentezen Franklin