EXPLORING GOOD FRIDAY

Why aren’t my prayers being answered?

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” - Matthew 27:46

On Good Friday, we witness a third unanswered prayer - perhaps the most agonizing of them all. Nail to a cross and slowly suffocating, the Son cried out to the Father: "Why have you forsaken me?"And there was no response from heaven. No dove descending. No booming voice. No answer to prove the question wrong.

Day 24: This Means War

Pause

“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame.” - Psalm 25:1-2

Reflect

  • Bible: “For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” - Ephesians 6:12-13

  • Book: “Sometimes, submission to God involves meek acceptance of suffering, but at other times we should get angry about our unanswered prayers and fight! Why? Because Christians do not believe that all suffering is God's will. We know that the terrors and tragedies screaming from today's newspapers cannot possibly reflect the heart of a loving Father at work in His world. Instead, we believe something so surprising that it would be almost impossible to accept if it wasn't so blatantly true: we believe that the Almighty God does not always get His way on earth - even though He is the Almighty God! Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10), precisely because it isn't a foregone conclusion.” - (p. 136)

Ask

  • If God is loving, then why does suffering exist?

  • Is all suffering God’s will? Explain.

  • Does God always get His way on earth? Explain.

  • Describe a time when you misdirected your anger?

  • Do you ever get angry with God? Why or why not?

  • What does engaging in “spiritual warfare” mean to you?

  • Describe a time when you went through a spiritual battle?

  • Read Ephesians 6:10-18. What is the armor of God (see vv.14-17)? What “fleshly” thing might be associated with each piece of “spiritual” armor?

Yield

A prayer of the eighteenth-century soldier, explorer, and monk, Charles de Foucauld:

Father, I abandon myself into Your hands; do with me what You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only Your will be done in me, and in all your creatures - I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Amen.



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