Do not ever give up on God, especially in prayer.

Jesus once spoke in a parable of an importunate widow. The word ‘importunate’ means that she was persistent to the point of being annoying in asking for help. It seems that someone had unjustly wronged this woman, and with no other recourse, she went to the law for justice.

However, the judge that heard her case “… feared not God, neither [nor] regarded man.” (Luke 18:2)

He was a hard cold man, who at first turned a deaf ear to the needy widow. Well, evidently she continued to come and ask for help until she became an annoyance to the judge.

Finally – and there seems to be some exasperation – he said, “… because this woman troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.” (Luke 18:5)

The Savior then said to His disciples, “… Hear what the unjust judge sayeth.” (Luke 18:6)

It seems as though the Lord is assuring His disciples in this parable that if a cruel-hearted judge will help those who continue to ask, even more surely will God, who is just and compassionate, help us His children. God is the opposite of that unjust judge. He is just; He is compassionate. Rather than this being a parable of similarity, this is a parable of contrast. God will answer the prayers of His faithful children. When our cause is just, and it’s important that it is, we are commanded to persist in prayer.

We “… ought always to pray,” the scriptures say, “and not to faint;” (Luke 18:1)

Now why does God require us to ask over and over again? Why doesn’t He just give us what we want on the first asking? I don’t know. But this much I do know: I know what my children really want by how often they ask, and how willing they are to work for it.

When God does not grant our endless prayers for what we need so badly, there’s a tendency to believe that He’s like that unjust judge, that He too seems not to regard us. When we’ve asked over and over, and no answer has come, we may say in our hearts, “If He knew how much this hurt, and how much I really need Him, He would help me.”

Well, this parable is meant to assure us that He does hear, and He will make all things just, and fair and right, even though it may take a long time!

I know of few things in this life that are a more wrenching test of faith than unanswered prayers. Therefore, the critical question upon which our faith rests is this: When God will not do what we want when we want, will we still love Him and do what He wants? I hope so.