Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers.
Discussion Questions:
1. When have you experienced an unanswered prayer, and how did it shape your perception of God?
2. How do you reconcile Jesus’ promises in Matthew 21 and John 14 with the lived reality of suffering?
3. Which of the possible explanations discussed - contradiction, wounded world, free will, evil, sin - resonates most with you, and why?
4. To what extent is the modern Western expectation of happiness influencing how we interpret God’s role in our lives?
5. How does free will complicate the idea of God intervening in response to prayer?
6. In what ways does the biblical portrayal of spiritual evil (Ephesians 6) add nuance to the question of unanswered prayer?
7. What is the difference between having faith in God and having faith in the amount of your faith?
8. How does the Christian hope of resurrection reframe the way we interpret suffering, healing, and unanswered prayer?
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Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers.
Discussion Questions:
1. When have you experienced an unanswered prayer, and how did it shape your perception of God?
2. How do you reconcile Jesus’ promises in Matthew 21 and John 14 with the lived reality of suffering?
3. Which of the possible explanations discussed - contradiction, wounded world, free will, evil, sin - resonates most with you, and why?
4. To what extent is the modern Western expectation of happiness influencing how we interpret God’s role in our lives?
5. How does free will complicate the idea of God intervening in response to prayer?
6. In what ways does the biblical portrayal of spiritual evil (Ephesians 6) add nuance to the question of unanswered prayer?
7. What is the difference between having faith in God and having faith in the amount of your faith?
8. How does the Christian hope of resurrection reframe the way we interpret suffering, healing, and unanswered prayer?
In this sermon, Pastor Johanna Kelly explores wordless or contemplative prayer—a form of prayer beyond language, where we meet God in silence and presence rather than through words. It reflects on those moments in life, whether joyful, sorrowful, or ordinary, when words fail and we sense the divine near. Contemplative prayer is not about doing but about being fully present, allowing God’s love to meet us where we are. As we open our hearts, we move from knowing about God to truly knowing God.
Questions:
1. Have you ever experienced a moment where words felt completely inadequate—either in sorrow or joy? What was that moment like for you?
2. Why do you think silence and stillness are often so uncomfortable for us? What tends to surface in you when you try to be quiet before God?
3. The sermon mentions that “progress in intimacy with God means progress towards silence.” What might this mean for your own prayer life?
4. What does it mean to you to bring your “whole self” to God in prayer—your past, present, hurts, and hopes?
5. How do your current images of God and of yourself shape the way you approach prayer?
6. The sermon says, “Maybe Jesus is inviting you to trust that God is love.” What might that invitation look like for you right now?
7. What practices (breath prayers, centering prayer, meditation, silence) help you become more present to God? Which ones feel most challenging?
8. If contemplative prayer is about “being fully present — in heart, mind, and body — to what is,” how might this posture transform your daily life, not just your prayer life?
9. The sermon highlights that God knocks and invites us to ‘sit and stay awhile.’ How might your community or relationships change if you embodied that same invitation for others?
10. How can contemplative or wordless prayer help bridge the divide between the seen (our human experience) and the unseen (the divine presence)?
Lakeside Church
Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers.
Discussion Questions:
1. When have you experienced an unanswered prayer, and how did it shape your perception of God?
2. How do you reconcile Jesus’ promises in Matthew 21 and John 14 with the lived reality of suffering?
3. Which of the possible explanations discussed - contradiction, wounded world, free will, evil, sin - resonates most with you, and why?
4. To what extent is the modern Western expectation of happiness influencing how we interpret God’s role in our lives?
5. How does free will complicate the idea of God intervening in response to prayer?
6. In what ways does the biblical portrayal of spiritual evil (Ephesians 6) add nuance to the question of unanswered prayer?
7. What is the difference between having faith in God and having faith in the amount of your faith?
8. How does the Christian hope of resurrection reframe the way we interpret suffering, healing, and unanswered prayer?
