RootedinHisWord

How many of us have asked God for help—prayed earnestly, waited patiently—only to feel like our prayers went unanswered?

What if the answer actually came… and we didn’t recognize it?

Recently, I had an experience that made me reflect deeply on this. I felt led—strongly and unmistakably—to bless someone. There was no hesitation in my spirit, just obedience. But when I offered, the person rejected it.

Surprisingly, I didn’t feel embarrassed or discouraged. Instead, I felt peace. I had done what I was called to do. I was reminded in that moment that obedience is better than sacrifice.

Still, something lingered in my heart. I felt compelled to pray for him. I didn’t know his situation, but I sensed there was something deeper going on. As I prayed, one word kept surfacing: pride.

Pride can be subtle. It doesn’t always show up as arrogance. Sometimes it appears as independence—“I don’t need help,” or “I’ll figure it out on my own.” But what happens when we’ve asked God for help, and He sends it… yet we reject it because it doesn’t look the way we expected?

It brought to mind a familiar story—the drowning man parable.

A man is trapped in a flood and prays for God to save him. A rowboat comes by, and he refuses it, saying God will save him. Then a motorboat comes—he refuses again. Finally, a helicopter arrives, and still he declines. Tragically, he drowns. When he reaches heaven, he asks God, “Why didn’t You save me?” God replies, “I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat, and a helicopter—what more did you expect?”

The message is simple, yet profound: God’s help doesn’t always come in the form we imagine.

Sometimes, it looks ordinary.
Sometimes, it comes through people.
Sometimes, it’s disguised as an opportunity, a conversation, or even a small act of kindness.

But if pride takes root, we can easily miss it.

If you find yourself questioning why God hasn’t answered your prayers, consider this: could it be that the answer has already come—just not in the way you expected?

Let’s remain open. Let’s remain humble. Let’s not allow pride to block what God is trying to do in our lives.

Because more often than not, His help shows up in ordinary ways… through ordinary people… at just the right time. 

#rootedinHIsWord