Chapter 52
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream …
Matthew 1.20
Very often, our prayers seem to vanish into the void. Like the ancient psalmists, we wrestle with questions: What happens to our faith when prayers for healing or peace go unanswered? How do we trust God’s purposes when His silence feels unbearable?
The Christmas story offers surprising answers. It shows us that God’s silence often cradles His most profound purposes. Consider Joseph: a righteous man whose dreams of a peaceful family life were shattered. His fiancée’s unexpected pregnancy disrupted every plan, and his prayers for normality seemed ignored. Yet through this divine disruption came the salvation of the world.
Mary’s story mirrors this pattern. Surely, she prayed for a safe and joyful entrance into motherhood. Instead, she faced suspicion, hardship, and a dangerous journey to Bethlehem. Her unanswered prayers for normalcy brought God into human flesh, reshaping history forever.
And the shepherds, weary of Roman oppression, prayed for a triumphant Messiah to overthrow their oppressors. What they received instead was a vulnerable baby in a manger. Their prayers for power met silence, yet that silence revealed a Savior who identifies with the weak and lowly.
These stories remind us that unanswered prayers are not divine rejection but sacred invitations. They call us to trust that even in silence, God is at work—transforming disruption into redemption, disappointment into deeper trust, and human weakness into channels of divine strength.
Prince of Peace, whose silence often shapes us more than Your answers, grant us faith to trust Your wisdom in our unanswered prayers. Transform our questioning into questing, our disappointment into deeper trust. Give us Joseph’s faithful persistence, Mary’s courageous acceptance, the shepherds’ hopeful watching, and the Magi’s determined seeking… We pray in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Lord of silence and unanswered prayers… Amen
A paraphrased summary of Taras M. Dyatlik, Advent Reflections – Awaiting the Prince of Peace.
Wishing you God’s abundant blessings in the days leading up to Christmas and beyond.
Philemon