When Heaven Seems Silent: Unanswered Prayer
“The trouble with God is that he is like a person who never acknowledges one’s letters and so, in time, one comes to the conclusion either that he does not exist or that you have got the address wrong.” (C.S. Lewis)
C.S. Lewis once shared that unanswered prayers in his childhood – particularly for his sick and dying mother – were a key reason he abandoned faith for thirty years. Andy examines the deeply personal question of why some of our heartfelt prayers go unanswered.
Page Menu
- Why Isn’t God More Obvious?
- Where is God in our Suffering?
- Why does God seem so far away?
- The Doubt Gap
- Is Faith just an emotion?
Why Isn’t God More Obvious?
The atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell was once asked how he would explain himself to God if, after dying, he discovered that God did indeed exist. He replied emphatically: “Not enough evidence God, not enough evidence!” Sentiments like that resonate with many. If God wants us to trust him and will ultimately hold us accountable on that basis, shouldn’t He make Himself more obvious? Solas associate speaker Gareth Black explores this question.
Questioning Christianity: Where Is God In Our Suffering?
“On a family holiday, we had a car accident in which my mum collided head-on with a truck at high speed… After the surgery the doctor said to my Dad, ‘…It’s unlikely she’ll come out of it on the other side and if she does she’ll be very different. This is significant brain damage.’ It never quite sat with me, how if God is really good and he could have stopped it, why he let that happen to mum.”
Questioning Christianity’s Dan Paterson speaks to Solas about making sense of suffering, the ‘hiddenness of God’, and what following Christ really means.
Why Does God Seem So Far Away?
“I’m reaching out to God and I’m trying to pray, I’m trying to find him, but it just seems like he’s not there. So the questions are: ‘Is he there? Does he care about me? Does he see me?’ It feels as if he isn’t there.” In a message recorded at Christmas, Steve explores whether our feelings tell us what is true, and why we know God is not distant from us.
The Doubt Gap
David Nixon helps us consider what beliefs we should hold, given our many doubts about life.
Is Faith Just an Emotion?
Steve explores whether or not believing in God is simply just a question of how we feel.
Will You Help Produce More Resources to Help Christians Defend Their Faith?
Will you stand with Solas as we seek to help empower Christians to be able share the good news of Jesus persuasively? We speak at evangelistic events, as well as helping to train Christians to share their faith more effectively.
