Abby McDonald

Finding the Hope of Christ in a Messy Life

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Hope for When Your Prayers for Protection Aren’t Answered

January 20, 2022 by Abby McDonald

I read the text over and over again, hoping the words would somehow change. But they didn’t. It was the third time my husband and I had heard this dreaded word during the past year. This word we wanted to wish away: cancer. This time it was my father-in-law, and while we didn’t know the details yet, we knew surgery was imminent.

If you ask any parent what their daily prayers include, most of them would name protection as part of the list. Protection of their kids is first and foremost, but also protection over their families, friends and even themselves. But the longer we walk through this life, the more we realize those prayers aren’t always answered. Or at least, they aren’t always answered in the way we think they should be.

This text from my husband was one of the many instances where a loved one walked through a fire that we could not protect them from. It was outside of our control. And since God allowed him to come to it, we had to trust him to walk with him through it. We had to believe that even though this dreaded word was allowed to enter our family’s lives once again, that somehow God would redeem this situation.

Have you ever wondered why God didn’t answer your prayers for protection?

Perhaps you watched a child or loved one walk through pain and suffering, and nearly broke you to know you couldn’t take it away. Or perhaps you’re dealing with your own pain or heartbreak, and it feels as though you’re barely hanging on. I think it’s natural for us to have questions in these situations. All we have to do is look at some the Psalms to see that following God doesn’t mean our questions go away. Often, our questions can lead us to an even deeper faith.

The key is to continue communicating with God, even in our questions. Even when we don’t receive the answers to prayer we want, we have to keep coming to him. Here are three reasons why God doesn’t always answer prayers for protection:

1. God wants to use you to deliver someone else from bondage.

One of my favorite redemption stories in the Old Testament is the story of Joseph. But slavery was not a path Joseph chose. After being sold by his brothers, he was betrayed again and imprisoned for a crime he never committed.. He spent years in prison, and even when he helped those around him, they forgot their promises to him. But even in what looked like insurmountable odds, God was working. He later used Joseph to not only serve the king, but to save the entire nation of Israel. He also redeemed the relationship between Joseph and his brothers, and brought them to repentance.

Joseph recognizes that by not protecting him from his brothers’ schemes, God accomplished a greater purpose.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Genesis 50:20 NIV

Joseph could have easily become bitter toward God for not protecting him from hardship, but he remained faithful. He kept seeking God and serving him in the middle of adversity, and God rewarded him.

2. God wants to do a work in you before he lifts the burden for you.

Have you ever watched someone blow glass? It is a breathtaking sight to behold, and several years ago I had the opportunity to watch an artist at work. The artist heated the material to thousands of degrees so it would become pliable enough to mold, but the artist’s time to shape it was limited. If it dropped below a certain temperature, the material hardened and was impossible to work with.

In the same way glass needs to be a hot fluid to respond to the glassblower’s touch, the trials of life often make us more sensitive to God’s hand. Suffering draws into a dependence on God like never before, because we realize how much we need his presence in our situation. We become desperate for his comfort and tangible movement in our lives, and our faith can grow in ways it never had before. When we suffer, we become more like Jesus, and we’re able to know him on a deeper level.

Paul talks about his inward spiritual transformation in his letter to the church at Corinth, and exhorts them not to become discouraged when the troubles of this life come.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NIV

However, the opposite can also be true. We can distance ourselves from God instead of seeking him in our circumstances. We may see our situation as evidence of God’s negligence instead of looking for the ways he’s with us through it. The choice is up to us.

3. God wants to show that he still moves through our prayers.

I know, this may seem contradictory, right? But if we didn’t walk through valleys in this life, we would never need to call on God to deliver us. The valleys of life cause us to seek God in prayer, to rally the saints around us, and to wait for God to move. And he does. It just isn’t always on our timeline.

In the gospel of John, Jesus and his disciples encountered a blind man. The disciples immediately assumed the man’s affliction is the result of sin – either the blind man’s or his parents. They asked Jesus who sinned, but Jesus gives them a response they weren’t expecting.

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

John 9:3 NIV

If this man had been protected from blindness, Jesus wouldn’t have had the opportunity to heal him. And because of this healing, others were able to see his power at work and put their hope and trust in him.

Many times, we don’t see the ways our stories overlap into the lives of others. But our stories are never just about us. God wants to use our stories as a living testimony of his goodness and grace, and to use them to draw others into his presence. When we don’t walk through some difficult seasons, his opportunities to do this become limited because we still live in a fallen world. Humanity isn’t perfect, and when they see perfection in our own lives, it can actually be a deterrent rather than something that draws them closer. However, when they see followers of Christ walking through troubles just like they are, our stories become an invitation. They might see our peace in the midst of chaos or the way God is carrying us through it, and want to know more.

God often creates a unique opportunity to share his love through something we want to skip over.

Are you walking through a dark valley right now, and wondering why God didn’t protect you from it? Or perhaps, like me, you’re watching a loved one walk through it and wishing they didn’t have to. It is human to ask questions and to experience moments of frustration. But don’t let the enemy keep you there. Allow your point of weakness to be a propellant toward the Lord’s strength. Your story isn’t finished, and this season is not a result of his anger or negligence toward you.

He will use this chapter as a bridge into something greater, something you can’t quite see yet. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep seeking his hand in the middle of your situation. One day you will look back and see evidence of his fingerprints all over it.

*This post originally appeared on ibelieve.com.

An Invitation:

If you need to shift your focus from negativity, disappointment and worry and see what God is already doing in your life, I encourage you to pick of a copy of my book, Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God. I talk more about those seasons when it doesn’t seem as though God hears us, and how to see that he is working, even when we life doesn’t look the way we anticipated. Many people have sent me messages saying it is a timely book for this season. This encourages my heart so much. I pray that God continues to use it to touch lives.

Here’s what one reader said:

“Perfect read to start the year! I am thoroughly enjoying Shift, by Abby McDonald. The author’s conversational style makes this a great book for those relaxed reading days, but it also has many deep scriptural truths to explore for those times when I want to dig deeper into God’s Word. It encourages readers while answering that big question – how to experience God’s presence more fully. I highly recommend it!” -Kristine B.

You can pick up a copy of Shift by clicking the image below.

*Affiliate disclosure

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Filed Under: prayer, spiritual growth Tagged With: #prayer

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  1. ANNIE says

    January 20, 2022 at 11:46 am

    PERFECT TOPIC for this time of my life..wondrous reassurance and confirmation from Jesus God..thank you

    • Abby McDonald says

      February 3, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      I’m so glad it spoke to you, Annie! Praise God and thanks for letting me know.

Hi! I'm Abby and I'm so glad you're here. I am a wife and a mom of two very energetic boys and one sweet baby girl. When I'm not chasing them around I love to write about my love for a God who relentlessly pursued me, even during my darkest times. READ MORE...

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Friend, if you are in a season of waiting right no Friend, if you are in a season of waiting right now, I encourage you to look back on the ways God delivered you in the past. Repeat promises about his character out loud and write them in places where you will see them throughout the day. 

Doing these things may feel silly at first, but here’s what you’re doing: You’re rewiring your brain. When your mind is tempted to believe the negative, you are building a neural pathway to truth. You are creating a pattern, and as you do, it will begin to become more natural.

No matter what, remember God goes with you, even on the days it feels as though you’re alone. He is reaching out for you through the waves of chaos. Reach for him, and grab hold.
A few weeks ago, I had a heart to heart with God w A few weeks ago, I had a heart to heart with God while walking our dog in the cold. There were a few areas in my life where I was beyond weary. My honest confession didn’t leave me with any answers, but the release made me feel the weight lift a little. But still, I longed for some type reassurance. Like Moses before the burning bush, my heart whispered, “Show me your glory.”

That night my husband and I were sitting in our back yard, and I witnessed an unexpected gift I’d never seen: a meteor shower. Every few moments, a streak of light would illuminate the sky, and the magic of it left me awestruck. It was unlike anything I’d experienced in a long time.

As I put my head on the pillow that night, I sensed God saying, “I know you don’t always see it, but I’m protecting you in more ways than you know.”

There are fires He puts out that we never see.

Destructive masses flying toward us that are struck down before they reach us.

And while the struggle and the weariness remain, somehow I feel held right here in the middle of it. I know I’m seen. I know His love reaches places that go beyond those streaks of fire.

#faithhopelove #hisloveenduresforever #prayermatters #keepgoing
Have you ever heard a message that breathed new li Have you ever heard a message that breathed new life into a passage? This happened to me today, and I couldn’t believe the ways this psalm opened up before my eyes, even though I’d read it hundreds of times.

A valley of darkness is not a place where I’d want to sit down and have a meal. My focus would be on getting out. I can see myself asking God, “Can’t you see all these shadows lurking? Really, God?” And yet there David is, right in the middle of the shadow of death, eating. The Lord doesn’t wait until he gets to the other side to prepare the table. He prepares in right there in front his enemies. Enemies who are likely taunting. Whispering lies. Asking what he’s doing there and if he thinks he’ll really make it through. 

But God isn’t intimidated by the darkness that trembles in his presence. He wants to take David to higher ground. And you know what? He won’t get there by staying comfortable.

So instead of letting the voices of evil defeat him, David declares victory. His cup overflows. His path is secure. And ours is too, friends. Keep praising him in the midst of the battle today.

#authorsofinstagram #hopewriters #sundayscripture #hisgrace #victoryisyours #christianwriterscommunity #scriptureoftheday
We make thousands of choices each day, but not all We make thousands of choices each day, but not all of them are life altering. If you’re anything like me, when those big ones come 
you can go to God and expect an answer right then, even when you’ve done little to even connect with him.

But connection to God will always precede the direction of God. 

To enjoy the limitless benefits that come from this relationship, we must first take time fostering it. Wisdom, joy, love, and a sound mind are all at our fingertips. If we take the time. If we seek him before simply seeking his plans.

When we do, we find this:

1. God will open the doors he wants us to walk through. 

2. We often complicate what God has already instructed us to do. 

3. The right decision does not mean there are no bumps in the road.

Friend, I don’t know what decision fatigue you’re facing today, but know you face decisions that need to be made. This is the life we live. Whether they’re big or small, fear-inducing or not, know God is there with you, and he gives wisdom to whoever will ask.

#dailydevotional #decisionmaking #hisgrace #seekhimfirst
Sometimes the first sentence is the hardest to wri Sometimes the first sentence is the hardest to write. That’s why nearly every time I write, I ask myself these two questions:

1. What is my reader’s biggest struggle right now?
2. If I could tell my reader one thing, what would it be?

Asking these two questions not only clarify my writing, but keep it focused. The less rabbit trails, the better. 😉

What other questions would you add to this list?

#writingcoach #amwriting #writeyourstory #writingonwednesdays
This man gives selflessly of his time, love and en This man gives selflessly of his time, love and energy and teaches me so much about what it means to serve others with a humble heart. Today is his birthday, and I’m grateful that I get to celebrate another year of his life! Happy birthday, Chris! 🎉💗 We love you so much.

#birthdaylove #43yearsyoung #birthdaywishes
I am a visual processor. It always helps ingrain t I am a visual processor. It always helps ingrain things in my mind to see them laid out this way. That’s why I’m my book, Shift, I included several charts similar to this one to help transform our mindset. To shift our focus from what’s seen to what’s unseen.

One of the beautiful truths I learned through writing is that we get to control our narrative. We may hear words that aren’t true and even say them to ourselves, but they don’t have to get the final say.

We can:

1. Speak what’s true out loud. Matthew 12:35 says the mouth speaks what the heart is full of, but the opposite is also true. Speaking truth gets it into our heart.

2. Set boundaries on the toxicity we let into our lives. Whether it’s people, the news, social media or tv, we control what goes in. And what goes in matters to our mental health.

3. Write it down. We saw the Jews do this in the OT. It is a tried and true method and it works. 

Our minds won’t transform by osmosis. Lord knows, I’ve tried this method and failed. 😅 The battle starts with claiming the truth. But my prayer is that eventually the Word will become like air in our lungs, the same way our Creator breathed life into us.

➡️ Learn more via link in bio.

#shiftbook #shiftyourmindset #hopewriters #authorsofinstagram #christianauthors #bookstagram
Ever have a deadline looming and feel completely u Ever have a deadline looming and feel completely unmotivated to write? 🙋🏻‍♀️ Sometimes procrastination is not an option. Here are a few tips that have been effective for me:

1. Read or listen to something inspirational. Often, this will give me a fresh perspective or angle on a topic that I hadn’t considered.

2. Pray about it and dedicate your writing to God. God is the author of creativity. His Spirit is an endless source of beauty, inspiration, and fresh fire.

3. Move around. A blank computer screen is not very inspiring, is it? Movement and blood flow can spark a brain that’s tired and foggy with fresh ideas. 

Whatever you do, come back to the page. Always. Even if you think the writing is garbage, you can always edit. 

#writingtips #writingonwednesdays #writingcoach #keepgoing
I often forget that the middle of a new endeavor o I often forget that the middle of a new endeavor or opportunity is just as important as the beginning. When new beginnings and expectancy turn into endless days of the same, the transition can be grueling. Each day I must make the choice to get up and be present. I must be intentional about finding those new moments and opportunities for joy, even when they seem hidden.

While there are times in life when God calls us to leap or make a bold move for him, there are other seasons when he asks us to keep our feet firmly planted. In these seasons, our faith is stretched in different ways. 

Don’t let the messiness of the middle keep you from finishing the work God has for you. Keep looking for his presence in the details. Because one day, you will see the fruit he brought forth from that place.

➡️ Adapted from my book, Shift

#bookstagram #shiftbook #shiftyourmindset #faithfulness
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