When considering any Bible topic or question, we should not rely on only one verse; nor should we take verses out of their context. Instead, we need to take into account both the immediate setting of the verse and the general teaching of Scripture on the subject. We will begin by looking at what some verses say about prayer.
Instruction to Pray and Promise of Peace
As believers in Christ, we are told to pray to our heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7 (LSB): “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The commands, “do not be anxious” and “let your requests be made known to God”, teach us how to approach the Lord, and we are instructed to always pray with thanksgiving. The verse promises that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
As believers, we have been adopted as His children, which is an incredible privilege. So, we are to bring all our anxieties and worries to God because He is our heavenly Father and wants us to enjoy our relationship with Him. Prayer is how we talk to God. The Lord Jesus Christ said: “Whatever you ask in My name, this will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14 LSB). Read in isolation, this might seem to suggest that God is like a “genie in a bottle”.
However, the Lord is not suggesting that prayer alters the divine will. Rather, He is indicating that prayers are answered positively when they are offered in the name of the Lord Jesus, i.e., in keeping with His character and therefore in alignment with God's purposes (for more details on this see here). Prayer functions as one divinely established means through which God is pleased to accomplish His objectives, underscoring its significance within the divine plan.
But does God change His mind?
Exodus 32 is frequently cited as an example of God apparently changing His mind. After the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt, they arrive at Mount Sinai. While Moses is on the mountain with God, the people, led by Aaron, construct and worship a golden calf.
God expresses anger and informs Moses of His intention to destroy the people for their rebellion and begin anew with Moses. Moses intercedes on behalf of the people, “So Yahweh relented concerning the harm which He said He would do to His people” (Exodus 32:14 LSB). Does this passage indicate a change in the divine will?
Moses' prayer appeals to God's prior promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Rather than requesting a change in the divine will, Moses petitions for the fulfilment of established promises regarding the descendants of the patriarchs. Not that God has forgotten His promises, but He draws out from Moses that reminder to which He is pleased to respond.
Again, in 1 Samuel 15:35 (LSB), the writer states, “. . . Yahweh regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.” At first glance, this may appear to indicate a change in the divine will. However, in 1 Samuel 15:29 (LSB), Samuel asserts, “Also the Eternal One of Israel will not lie or have regret; for He is not a man that He should have regret." In addressing this apparent contradiction, the first thing to note is that the expression of “regret” is an anthropomorphism, i.e., attributing a human characteristic to God, a technique often used in Scripture to aid human understanding of divine actions.
However, there still appears to be a tension between the two statements. This is resolved by differentiating between God’s plans and purposes, about which He will not, indeed cannot, change His mind (“regret”), and God’s observation of the results of humanity’s rebellion and wickedness, which in no way surprises Him but does bring Him sorrow (“regret”). A similar scenario to the latter is found in Genesis 6:6 (LSB): “Yahweh regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”
Finally, the narrative of Jonah presents another instance that prompts questions regarding God’s unchangeable nature. Jonah was sent to Nineveh to announce impending destruction, yet the city was ultimately spared.
But God’s response was not arbitrary; rather, His mercy was contingent upon the repentance of the Ninevites. Their decision to turn from evil resulted in forgiveness, as described in Jonah 3:4-9. This demonstrates that God’s actions are consistent with His character and prior declarations. His justice is always tempered with mercy towards those who repent; as Christians, we will be eternally thankful for that.
The Attributes and Nature of God
The assertion that God can change His mind challenges the integrity of His character and implies that human desires could overturn divine purposes.
Although the full extent of God’s plan may not be comprehensible to us in the present (Romans 11:33), as believers, we are assured of God's faithfulness to His promises (Hebrews 10:23).
God’s Immutability
God does not change His mind. He not only chooses not to change His mind – He cannot change. This attribute is called His immutability.
Numbers 23:19 (LSB) states, “God is not a man, that He should lie . . . Has He said, and will He not do it?” and the verse already quoted from 1 Samuel echoes this: “Also the Eternal One of Israel will not lie or have regret; for He is not a man that He should have regret” (1 Samuel 15:29 LSB). Many passages confirm that God does not change. For example, Malachi 3:6 (LSB) says, “For I, Yahweh, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”
The immutability of God guarantees the constancy of His goodness, justice, and love.
The impossibility of God changing His mind is rooted in His covenantal name, “Yahweh”, (Exodus 3:11-15), which affirms His attribute of eternality and incorporates within it His unchanging nature as “I AM WHO I AM” or “I will be who I will be”.
Hope in the Unchanging Nature of God
If God could change, we would lose all confidence in His truth and faithfulness. Our worship of Him and trust in Him depend on His unchanging nature. That unchanging nature ensures the reliability of His promises, providing hope and assurance to believers. It means that, as believers, our salvation is secure in Christ, the One who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 LSB). Furthermore, God did not change His mind by choosing to save us when He saw the sin and iniquity in the world. Before the world began, the plan was already made, for: “He chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world . . .” (Ephesians 1:4).
Believers can find comfort, assurance, and security in their relationship with God, whose character and will are immutable. God is all-knowing, all-loving, and all-powerful, embodying perfection in all His attributes, every one of them remaining constant and providing a reliable foundation for trust.
God’s actions are consistent with His declarations. Because His mind and character are unchanging, believers can trust that His plan for the world is perfect and will be fulfilled. This immutability provides a basis for hope and peace.
Suggested prayer ideas from this mini study:
The primary thing to remember is that prayer can align us with the unchanging God.
- Thank the Lord for His unchanging nature and character (Malachi 3:6).
- Pray that your prayers will be in alignment with the will of God (John 14:14), and that His perfect will be done on earth as in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
- Pray for wisdom before you open your Bible and pray that God will give you wisdom to know His will and ways (James 1:5), and especially to know God and Christ better (John 17:3).
- Take all of your worries and concerns to the Lord and give your anxieties to Him knowing that He can be trusted to guard you with His peace (Philippians 4:4-7).
- Confess your sins and give thanks for the forgiveness you have received because of His faithfulness (1 John 1:9).
