When the Thing You’ve Prayed for Doesn’t Happen

Have you ever prayed for, longed for, hoped and dreamed for something so much, but then you didn’t get it?

I know I have.

I am not trying to minimize the passing away of a loved one, but whether the heartache is from a broken relationship, a shattered dream, or a hope of something that will never be, losing something we love – or something we wanted but can never have – feels like death. And that loss needs to be grieved.

It’s okay to feel the feelings. It’s okay to give ourselves permission to slow down for a season. It’s good to process and go to God in prayer on a deeper level than normal.

But, there eventually comes a time when we need to dust ourselves off, pick ourselves up, let go, and move on. There comes a time when we need to look around and notice the blessings of what we do have, instead of pining away for what will never be.

Maybe this is your season to grieve. Or maybe it’s time for you to once again start noticing the blue skies, the joys, and the blessings that are right in front of you.

Whatever your season, I pray you lean into it. That you won’t deny yourself the grieving & healing process, but also that you won’t be afraid to let go of your sorrow when it’s time to let go, so you can once again feel fully alive.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-12 is a beautiful passage that depicts this very concept – I hope you’ll pull your Bible out and highlight it for reference.

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;

⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

⁹ What gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹² I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-12 ESV

When you’re struggling through difficult things, here are a few Instagram posts you might find helpful:

• When your dreams don’t look the way you expected them to
• When you need to walk in faith, but are scared
• How to help a friend who’s going through a difficult time
• When you want to grow, but are feeling stagnant
• When waiting for what you want feels like forever
• When love hurts
• Grief can lead to healing
  
• What happens when you speak your secrets out-loud
• Is there something you need to let go of?
• If you need to surrender something in your life
• When the battle is hard
• If your dream feels impossible
• Trials can soften our hearts
• Healing a hurting heart

Oops, that was way more than I meant to link to! Skim the titles and just click on a few that seem like they’ll meet you the most where you are today. (You can see all of my Instagram posts at instagram.com/davonneparks.)

If you’re grieving something, will you leave a comment and let me know? It’s always my privilege and honor to go to God in prayer on your behalf.