--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Elijah’s question was not answered, but…" description: "\"“Elijah’s question was not answered, but his prayer was. Which would you prefer, an answer to your question or an answer to your prayer? I am sure that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/r-t-kendall-13305_answered-prayer_elijah-s-question-was-not-answered-but-h_1299628.jpg" --- # Elijah’s question was not answered, but his prayer was… ![“Elijah’s question was not answered, but his prayer was. Which would you prefer, an answer to your question or an answer to your prayer? I am sure that the widow did not particularly want her question answered; she wanted her son back, and that is what she got. Had Elijah waited for his question to…” quote by R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/r-t-kendall-13305_answered-prayer_elijah-s-question-was-not-answered-but-h_1299628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/r-t-kendall-13305_answered-prayer_elijah-s-question-was-not-answered-but-h_1299628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/r-t-kendall-13305_answered-prayer_elijah-s-question-was-not-answered-but-h_1299628.jpg) > ““Elijah’s question was not answered, but his prayer was. Which would you prefer, an answer to your question or an answer to your prayer? I am sure that the widow did not particularly want her question answered; she wanted her son back, and that is what she got. Had Elijah waited for his question to be answered he would have never prayed. I have had countless people say to me, “When God explains to me why He allows suffering I will believe in Him.” The result in that case will be that you will never know the answer to that question here on earth. So are you going to lose your soul and be eternally lost? Or will you pray the prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” without your questions being answered?”” [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer can be more vital than answers; trusting divine mercy outweighs seeking explanations for pain. **In simple terms:** Prayer matters more than getting answers to suffering. Key Takeaway Prioritize prayer over demanding answers. Themes faith suffering trust prayer Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual guidance When to use this quote - personal crisis - grief counseling - church teaching - spiritual formation - mental health support Key Concepts theology spiritual resilience Questions to Reflect On - Will you seek help while praying? - How do you balance faith and action? A Different Perspective Relying solely on prayer may neglect practical action to alleviate suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answered prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“Elijah wanted the crisis to be dealt with, and the boy was raised from the dead. Answered prayer is better—and more important—than answered questions:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/elijah-wanted-the-crisis-to-be-dealt-with-and-the-boy-was-raised-from/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Yes. There's really only one question that can be answered, Genry, and we already know the answer…The only thing that makes life possible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/yes-there-s-really-only-one-question-that-can-be-answered-genry-and/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“A good question is never answered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/a-good-question-is-never-answered/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [I have yet not been able to answer the great question that has never been answered. 'What does a woman want?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-have-yet-not-been-able-to-answer-the-great-question-that-has-never/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“A good question cannot be answered immediately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/a-good-question-cannot-be-answered-immediately/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“Every question that can be answered must be answered or at least engaged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-question-that-can-be-answered-must-be-answered-or-at-least/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nowadays, everybody assumes, when the wake up in the morning, if they have a question, it will get answered. Because they have the internet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/nowadays-everybody-assumes-when-the-wake-up-in-the-morning-if-they/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [“You may ask any question. Some, however, must be answered by silence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-may-ask-any-question-some-however-must-be-answered-by-silence/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-great-question-that-has-never-been-answered-and-which-i-have-not/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [My father taught me that the question Who made me? cannot be answered, since it immediately suggests the further question, Who made God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/my-father-taught-me-that-the-question-who-made-me-cannot-be-answered/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [You are my answered prayer, my fulfilled wish, my realized dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-are-my-answered-prayer-my-fulfilled-wish-my-realized-dream/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-story-of-every-great-christian-achievement-is-the-history-of/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [The history of missions is the history of answered prayer. It is the key to the whole mission problem. All human means are secondary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-marinus-zwemer/the-history-of-missions-is-the-history-of-answered-prayer-it-is-the/) [Samuel Marinus Zwemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-marinus-zwemer/) > [“We serve a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God, a wonder-working God!” he loved to say. “And answered prayer is one of the ways we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/we-serve-a-prayer-hearing-and-a-prayer-answering-god-a-wonder-working/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“Thank you Heavenly Father. You heard my petition. You have answered my plea. May your name be glorified and be praised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/thank-you-heavenly-father-you-heard-my-petition-you-have-answered-my/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by R. T. Kendall > [“days of the earliest Church? I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“This part of the story shows something of the suffering of a true prophet. It is true that the greater the suffering the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/this-part-of-the-story-shows-something-of-the-suffering-of-a-true/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“said, “Make a cake for yourself and your son, and then make some for me.” That would have been considered more sensible and unselfish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/said-make-a-cake-for-yourself-and-your-son-and-then-make-some-for-me/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Dr. A. W. Pink observed that this command—to make the cake for Elijah first and then for her and her son—was one of the hardest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/dr-a-w-pink-observed-that-this-command-to-make-the-cake-for-elijah/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“An unexpected grief came to this widow of Zarephath, and, through it, an unexpected trial came to Elijah. God did not tell Elijah this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/an-unexpected-grief-came-to-this-widow-of-zarephath-and-through-it-an/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Jesus could wash away your sins—but it is the only hope you have. Accept this offer now. Confess your sins to God. Thank Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/jesus-could-wash-away-your-sins-but-it-is-the-only-hope-you-have/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Elijah was brilliant in his response. He did not panic. He did not moralize with the distraught widow. He did not say, “I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/elijah-was-brilliant-in-his-response-he-did-not-panic-he-did-not/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“There is one person who will never let you down, will never fail you. Jesus Christ. He is perfect. Sinless. Faultless. He loves you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/there-is-one-person-who-will-never-let-you-down-will-never-fail-you/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [I want to inspire people to desire to see the praise that comes from the one and only true God. Above all else. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/i-want-to-inspire-people-to-desire-to-see-the-praise-that-comes-from/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“We must let God be Himself in us. This means that we must let Him be Himself in others too. We ought not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/we-must-let-god-be-himself-in-us-this-means-that-we-must-let-him-be/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Elijah wanted the crisis to be dealt with, and the boy was raised from the dead. Answered prayer is better—and more important—than answered questions:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/elijah-wanted-the-crisis-to-be-dealt-with-and-the-boy-was-raised-from/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Elijah was vindicated openly in the widow’s eyes. The pity is, she should have known this already by now. The bread and oil being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/elijah-was-vindicated-openly-in-the-widow-s-eyes-the-pity-is-she/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“There was no water. Food by tons would have no value. You need water to survive. If the ravens brought Elijah filet steaks, fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/there-was-no-water-food-by-tons-would-have-no-value-you-need-water-to/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Faith Is Sometimes Spelled R-I-S-K Then the word of the LORD came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/faith-is-sometimes-spelled-r-i-s-k-then-the-word-of-the-lord-came-to/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [“Elijah was vindicated then and there as being a true man of God. Not everybody gets vindication that soon. For some it takes years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/elijah-was-vindicated-then-and-there-as-being-a-true-man-of-god-not/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) [Explore all 51 R. T. Kendall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## More Answered prayer quotes > [“Thank you Heavenly Father. You heard my petition. You have answered my plea. May your name be glorified and be praised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/thank-you-heavenly-father-you-heard-my-petition-you-have-answered-my/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“We serve a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God, a wonder-working God!” he loved to say. “And answered prayer is one of the ways we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/we-serve-a-prayer-hearing-and-a-prayer-answering-god-a-wonder-working/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [The history of missions is the history of answered prayer. It is the key to the whole mission problem. All human means are secondary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-marinus-zwemer/the-history-of-missions-is-the-history-of-answered-prayer-it-is-the/) [Samuel Marinus Zwemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-marinus-zwemer/) > [The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-story-of-every-great-christian-achievement-is-the-history-of/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [“Elijah wanted the crisis to be dealt with, and the boy was raised from the dead. Answered prayer is better—and more important—than answered questions:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/elijah-wanted-the-crisis-to-be-dealt-with-and-the-boy-was-raised-from/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [You are my answered prayer, my fulfilled wish, my realized dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-are-my-answered-prayer-my-fulfilled-wish-my-realized-dream/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [“It was as if God had answered a prayer she'd never been bold enough to pray.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-tagg/it-was-as-if-god-had-answered-a-prayer-she-d-never-been-bold-enough/) [Melissa Tagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-tagg/) > [The history of missions is the history of answered prayer. From Pentecost to the Haystack meeting in New England and from the days when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-marinus-zwemer/the-history-of-missions-is-the-history-of-answered-prayer-from/) [Samuel Marinus Zwemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-marinus-zwemer/) > [“What I have learned from the year past is something about miracles--miracles of healing and answered prayer and unexpected happy endings. Each came quietly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-baldwin/what-i-have-learned-from-the-year-past-is-something-about-miracles/) [Faith Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-baldwin/) > [I have questioned God sometimes whether prayers have gone unanswered. But answered prayer is still harder to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilkerson/i-have-questioned-god-sometimes-whether-prayers-have-gone-unanswered/) [David Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilkerson/) > [A security guard was found sleeping at work. He was fired on the spot. He cried a lot. Then a young man saw him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arcine-arciniegas/a-security-guard-was-found-sleeping-at-work-he-was-fired-on-the-spot/) [Arcine Arciniegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arcine-arciniegas/) > [“Whoever shall call on God, shall be saved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-shall-call-on-god-shall-be-saved/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [God has done more than I could ask or even imagine on more occasions than I could ever recount. His ways are higher than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-burroughs/god-has-done-more-than-i-could-ask-or-even-imagine-on-more-occasions/) [Dillon Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-burroughs/) > [“Know, child, that the One God—He is so vast that He cannot be moved, else the Universe falls. Nor can He answer, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/know-child-that-the-one-god-he-is-so-vast-that-he-cannot-be-moved/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“The streaming wounds of Jesus are the sure guarantees for answered prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-streaming-wounds-of-jesus-are-the-sure-guarantees-for-answered/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 48 Answered prayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-prayer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Elijah’s question was not answered, but his prayer was. Which would you prefer, an answer to your question or an answer to your prayer? I am sure that the widow did not particularly want her question answered; she wanted her son back, and that is what she got. Had Elijah waited for his question to be answered he would have never prayed. I have had countless people say to me, “When God explains to me why He allows suffering I will believe in Him.” The result in that case will be that you will never know the answer to that question here on earth. So are you going to lose your soul and be eternally lost? Or will you pray the prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” without your questions being answered?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. T. 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