30/366 unanswered prayer?

"God is good" 

and

"God answers prayer"

are the anthems I've heard many good Christian people sing-

when they get the answer they want

the medical report comes back good

the job is landed

a promotion comes through

there was safe travel

the "problem" is removed

(you fill in the blank_______)

But when a prayer goes "unanswered"

or the answer is delayed, 

or "not now"

or "wait"

or, worse, "no, not that way"

there seems most often to be, 

from those same people,

silence

grumbling

anger

(you fill in the blank________)

I contend 

that if God is good when the answer is easy and pleasant to receive

then He must always be good

even in the difficulties and heartaches of our lives

and if we acknowledge that God answers prayer

when it is an answer we want to hear,

then He must always answer prayer

even when the answer is not what we expected or desired...

so weary heart,

those of you who have prayed or are praying the same prayer as another 

and you watch them celebrate receiving the answer you want

and you are still waiting for your answer

or have received an answer neither of you wanted,

I am praying for you tonight

I pray you will know deep down in your soul,

in the very marrow of your being,

without a shadow of a doubt,

that God does not play favorites

He hears every prayer each one of His children cry out to Him

and He answers every single prayer

in His time

in His way

for His purpose

not in our time or our way or our purpose

and sometimes that means we have to watch someone else praise Him while we grieve

and sometimes we rejoice in our answer while someone else struggles with theirs

allow no root of bitterness or anger or any ugly to take hold and grow

lean hard into Him

don't worry about getting the words right,

just keep praying

keep trusting

keep believing

keep putting your faith in Him

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:26-28