Why You Should Keep Praying When God Seems Silent

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” – Mark 9:24

During my quiet time this morning, I was reading a devotion about the importance of continuing to pray, even when God seems silent. I’ve read a lot of devotions about this particular topic, but this one was different. This one contained a story that I can’t get out of my head, so I wanted to share it with you today.

The writer of the devotion talked about how when we continue to pray, even when it seems like God’s not doing anything, our witness becomes more powerful. People pay attention when we’re faithful in our prayers as we’re still waiting for answers. To drive this point home, she used her Scottish friend named Angus (talk about a fun name!) as an example.

Angus was a believer, but he didn’t become a believer until after he got married. Angus’s wife was not a believer, but he wanted so badly for her to have a relationship with Jesus like he did. So he prayed. And he prayed. And he prayed some more.

In total, Angus prayed for forty years for his wife’s salvation. Yeah, you read that right. Forty years.

Over the course of that time, Angus was asked on multiple occasions if he ever felt like giving up. His response each time was, “He’s never failed me yet!”

I stopped reading the devotion when I read that last line.

He’s never failed me yet…

Talk about an example of faith.

I sat there staring at the words of that devotion, thinking about what I would have said if I had been in Angus’s shoes. If I had been praying for the same thing for 40 years and it still hadn’t happened yet, would that have been my response? Would I have remained that hopeful that God was going to answer me? Would I have been that sure that He was going to come through?

What a gut check. I felt so convicted because I was worried that if it were me, after 40 years, I’d be tempted to give up on that prayer request. I wasn’t sure that I’d have that kind of hopeful perseverance. And as I wrestled with these questions and insecurities, I found myself silently praying the prayer found in Mark 9:24 that says, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”

With that pit in my stomach, I finished reading the devotion. And the final paragraph brought me to tears.

As it turns out, Angus’s wife finally chose to accept Christ…at her husband’s funeral. After seeing all of the people who loved her husband show up to the service that day, and after hearing the message of Jesus, the one who had led her husband’s life for decades, she finally said yes to her Savior.

Angus spent a large portion of his life praying and believing that his wife would one day choose to follow Christ. But it was ultimately his death that led to her salvation. That probably wasn’t what Angus had in mind. That probably didn’t correspond with the timetable he had in his head. But God answered His prayer.

In the Lord’s way and in the Lord’s time, Angus was proven right. God never failed him.

Even though Angus didn’t get to see his prayer answered while he was still on earth, God came through. He heard Angus. He was listening the whole time. He proved that Angus’s prayers mattered. They didn’t go unanswered. And friend, the same is true of the prayers you’re praying, too.

I don’t know what you’re waiting on. I don’t know what you’re praying for. And I don’t know how long you’ve been begging God for the same thing, only to feel like your prayers aren’t getting any further than the ceiling. 

I’ve been there. It’s a tough place to find yourself in your walk with Jesus. But if that hard spot is where you find yourself today, I hope that Angus’s story encouraged you. I pray it gave you hope. I pray it increased your faith. I pray it helped any unbelief you might have been carrying around. And I pray that his story was a reminder that God is always listening and He’s always working, even when we can’t see it or feel it.

I’ll leave you with the prayer that was included at the end of the devotion about Angus. Let this be our prayer today, friend. And let it be our prayer every day that God seems silent.  

Father, I kneel now in belief and ask You to help my unbelief. Sometimes Your silence is more than I can bear. Sometimes Your silence makes me feel that You don’t love me, don’t see me, don’t care for me. But now by faith, I choose to trust that You are with me. You are my help. You are my hope. Meet me here in the silence. Let my life reflect Your faithfulness. I long to feel Your presence, but I trust that You are with me. I let go of my plan B and wait for You here. I wait for You. I wait. Amen.