My Prayers Are Not Answered

Do you ever feel that your prayers are not answered?  Most of us do at one time or another in our lives.  We have a decision to make – we have a need – we have a want – we are concerned for a loved one – all these things are common occurrences.  With our economy in the state it is today, many prayers are simply for basic needs.

But, sometimes we feel that our prayers are not answered.  We wonder why – we are told in Matthew 7: 7-11 that our prayers will be answered.  So – where is our answer?

Matthew 7: 7-11 tell us: (KJV)

⁷ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

⁸ For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

⁹ Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

¹⁰ Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

¹¹ If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Matthew 7: 7-11 (NASB)

⁷ “^[a]Ask, and it will be given to you; ^[b]seek, and you will find; ^[c]knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you ^[d]who, when his son asks for a loaf, ^[e]will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or ^[f]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? ¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

We read this and wonder why our prayers are not being answered. I cannot tell you how many times I have faced this same frustration.  This led me to look further than Matthew for answers.  In Micah 3:4 we are told that our prayers will not be answered if we are still purposely sinning.

“Then they will cry to the Lord, But He will not hear them;  He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds.” (NKJV)

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells us to pray with humility in His parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the Temple.

And, perhaps my favorite, in James 1:6 we are told to ask in faith.

So, yes we are told to ask and we shall receive.  But, as you can see, there are some conditions attached to this.  Are your prayers not answered because you are continuing to live a sinful life, only praying to God when you have a need?  Are you praying with humility?  Or do you have an attitude of self-importance?  Are you asking in faith?  Or, are you saying to yourself, “this isn’t going to happen, but” and then praying?

Also, the Bible does not tell us that our prayers will not necessarily be answered in the way we want them answered.  We see the world and our lives through a “daily” view, but God sees the “big picture” and wants the best for us.  Therefore, we may need something a bit different than what we prayed for.   It may be that our prayer is actually answered, just in a different way than what we expected.

This is a face paced world.  We cook with convection ovens and microwaves.  We upgrade our computers constantly so that they will be faster.  We buy new cell phones to get the latest speeds.  We are an impatient people.  So, when we pray for something, we want an answer right away.  When we don’t get it, we are frustrated.  It may not be that our prayer will not be answered.  We have to remember that God does thing in His own time and His time is NOT our time.

So, next time you pray, be sure to include praise for God, be sure you are not purposely continuing to engage in sinful activities, be sure you have a humble attitude and be sure you actually believe God can grant your request.  Watch for your answer – don’t try to put a time limit on it – saying I want an answer in two days.  Sit back and rest in the knowledge that God will meet our needs and that he hears our prayers and wait patiently for your answer.  If you don’t receive the answer you expected, rest assured that you received the answer that was in your best interests.