To enter the presence of God behind the closed doors of the prayer closet is one of the greatest mercies ever received by the descendants of Adam. Though we may not feel the warmth of emotion in our prayers, still the knowledge of God’s love can thaw our frozen hearts. We love Him because He first loved us. Though we may not receive the exact earthly answer to the petitions we offer, we can rest in the perfection of His plan. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. Though we may be lost for the words to utter our cries, we can take comfort in the fact that we are being prayed for. I pray for them.

When we are ready to stop asking because we do not receive any reply, we can remember the woman of Canaan. First ignored, then insulted, but at last answered. And we see the heart of the Lord Jesus here. He wanted her to come close; to find her answer in His presence, not just in His actions. Ask, seek, knock, for everyone that asketh receiveth. Oh, to be sure, it is difficult to persist in the asking, but you will never regret that you did. When the answer comes, even if it is a “no” to the thing you thought you desired, there is incomparable delight in acknowledging that the Lord’s good gifts are exceeding abundantly above all you could ask or think.

So I encourage you, and much more myself, to ask and to continue in asking. Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. When your prayers are greeted by naught but silence, ask again. Seek the presence of the Lord Jesus above all else. Thy face, Lord, will I seek. There is nothing more rewarding than the sunshine of His face. You shall seek Me and find Me when you shall search for Me with all your heart. Pour out your heart to Him, plead your cause before the Throne of Grace, and when He is silent, enjoy the wait.