A few weeks ago I received a copy of Pete Greig's new book " God on Mute: Engaging the silence of Unanswered Prayer." I was asked by Pete's publisher if I would give it a read and post some thoughts on the book.
For those not familiar with Pete Grieg, he is one of the founding leaders of 24-7 Prayer, which started as a single night-and-day prayer room in England and in five years grew into an international movement committed to prayer, mission, and justice. I believe now, 24-7 Prayer is active in 63 countries and still growing. Since prayer is his life's work...Grieg admits " getting hijacked by a prayer movement isn't exactly a conventional career move " ...it's his job to search for answers: " Those of us who spend our time encouraging people to pray and sharing amazing stories about it also have a sworn duty to care for those whose prayers appear not to be working."
Getting Pete's book was rather timely, I was in the midst of finishing the liturgy for Sorrow to Glory, my father-in-law who had been battling cancer would take a turn for the worse and eventually pass away on March 18th, bring with it all the emotion and struggle I had with my youngest brothers tragic passing 10 years ago.
My father in-law was surrounded, immersed in prayer by numerous churches, prayer rooms, friends and family. With treatment the doctors gave him a good prognosis. His wife, a devout follower of Jesus, married to her husband for 60 years...a good and faithful servant, held that mustard seed of faith and prayed her heart out.
My brother, 34 years old...a wife a 2 kids, was a diabetic who had a reaction and died less than 3 ft away from his insulin syringe that he was trying to get to.
We pray, and we pray...the answer seems to be a resounding " no ", or even worse an almost deafening silence that seems to say " I don't care ." In this darkness, and in this deafening emotional storm of silence we continue to pray for " why?"
It is here Pete Grieg in his book, " God on Mute ", confronts the perplexing, painful silence of unanswered prayer.
You would almost think being the poster boy of a prayer movement, that engaging the silence of unanswered prayer would not be the best sales pitch for selling prayer. But silence in prayer is a reality. Maybe in our comfy churches we don't talk about it much because we think in the back of our minds we might be giving the impression that God is on vacation on some remote island in a neighbouring galaxy.
But so many people have been broken by the silence of unanswered prayer in the midst of suffering. But in God on Mute, Pete's gut- level honesty, vulnerability, rawness, and authenticity in dealing with the subject bring hope and life. Pete doesn't default to quick-fix theologies but provides with some deep truths to reflect on for sure footing when the proverbial rug has been ripped out from under our feet.
God on Mute, comes from a depth of experience...from real life. When 24-7 Prayer was gaining momentum with rooms being birthed around the Globe. Pete's wife Samie was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumour...in the midst of that, their prayers were met with a resounding silence. In the confusion, the emotional storm, Pete had to be there for his wife Samie, and his two young boys.
Tomorrow in Part Two...I'll share my thoughts on what is probably one of the best, if not the best books on unanswered prayer.
I have recently read this book and wholeheartedly agree with your comments. I don't remember reading such a thought provoking, heart rendering and honest book. A lot of Christians gloss over unanswered prayer, are afraid to discuss it and I suppose depending on their own experience, don't know how to handle it. When you listen to a lot of the Word of Faith preachers on TV etc you would think that all prayers have the answer yes; but as we all know the reality is quite different. sometimes its yes, sometimes its no and sometimes theres a silence that just leaves you wondering.
I have seen my fair share of pain and suffering over the last few years. A friend with two young Children die, another friend suffer with Cancer for 5 years and pass away, a Son who for 7 years suffered anxiety, never went to school and more recently 6 months without work. But through it all I find I have a choice, a choice we all face during suffering... To walk towards God, to persist or to walk away and lay the blame squarely at his feet. I have found that as I make to choice to turn to God, no matter what the answer is, no matter if there is silence; God does give me the one thing he has promised..Peace; a peace that passes all understanding and that guards my heart and mind.
Posted by: Mark R | September 04, 2009 at 05:18 PM