“Please, God, no rain today!” I said.

We were going to see Nijo Castle in Kyoto, Japan. A chilly drizzle had dampened our sightseeing the day before, and we were hoping for more favorable conditions for today. We prayed for good weather and headed out.

And it didn’t rain. It snowed!

All told, this was a minor point. The snow did not keep us from thoroughly enjoying Nijo Castle, and the sun did come out later so we could warm up a bit and take some lovely pictures while walking around the castle grounds. But for me, the experience raises an interesting question:

What do you do when you pray for no rain and God gives you snow? Or, in less-specific terms, what do you do when you get what you prayed for but not in the way you wanted?

We know God answers prayer. The Bible is full of stories and promises to that effect, and stories of answered prayer are prevalent throughout history. But just because God answers, it doesn’t mean the answer is always “yes” or even that it will always be the exact “yes” we were looking for.

The pen of inspiration writes: “When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers. We are so erring and short-sighted that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good — that which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are” (SC 96.2)

Throughout life, we may find ourselves in situations where the circumstances are less than ideal or where things don’t go according to plan — or according to prayer. I have found that I can trust God to provide the best, be it sun, rain or snow.

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