There are 7 reasons why our prayers are not answered. If we were honest, our prayers can feel like we are talking to ourselves. When it is actually a conversation with the king of heaven.
But if we were honest, we sometimes wonder if the King of Heaven is listening. We often panic when there has been too long a period between our amens and the blessing we have asked for.
Nobody likes the waiting room, no matter how many cool magazines they put out for us to read. Just like we get impatient in the waiting room, we often get impatient with our prayer life.
So how can we turn our requests into results? A doctor has to diagnose the health problem before he can write a prescription. Our unanswered prayers take the same approach. Read on to discover 7 reasons why our prayers are not answered and what to do about it.
Stop muting God
Prayer is not giving God a work order to be filled. Prayer is a two-way conversation with God. God desires to speak into your life.
Have you ever been deep in conversation on a phone call, and the other person goes silent? Only to find out that you’ve pushed the mute button.
Sometimes we press the mute button on God. We tell God what we want and never give Him a chance to reply.
We say a lot of words without giving God a chance to speak into our life. Here is a checklist to stop yourself from muting God in your prayer life.
- Pause as you pray.
- Search out what God's Word says and meditate on the verses as you pause.
- Look for rain. This means expect God to respond to your request and accept the results.
Trade your will for His will
You can choose WebMD.com to take care of your health needs or an actual doctor. Sometimes we don’t like the doctor’s treatment plan, but we sure do like being well.
The same is true for God’s will. Our will will leave us ill, whereas God’s will will leave us well. How do you know if you are praying with God’s will in mind?
- Sin always has I in the middle. Is your prayer all about what you want?It should be about what God wants.
- Is your request in line with the Word of God or the whims of the world?
- Have you invested in your relationship with God before you demanded results from God.
Practice trumps polish
It is hard to keep showing up to the prayer closet when it seems God isn’t showing up in life’s circumstances. But the truth is the prayer not uttered is a prayer that can’t be answered.
God isn’t looking for polished words and perfect attitudes. We have to show up if we want God to show out. God prefers your broken sentences and tears to a polished insincere show.
Behind every answered prayer that shows up is a saint that has shown up day after day. They showed up when God looked like he was absent. They showed up when they were without words due to the heartbreak tearing them apart. There are three keys to keep on praying.
- Schedule time to pray. We don't have time for the things that we don't make time for.
- start a prayer journal to document your progress. The praises of yesterday will fuel your prayers for tommorrow.
- Be ok with being awkward with God. It's not about the right words but the right attitude.
Resumes over reality
God doesn’t need our resume. We often want to justify ourselves to God. Think about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
The pharisee listed out his spiritual resume. His prayer was poisoned with pride. It was all about why he was so good instead of why God was so good.
The tax collector had a healthy dose of reality. He knew that God was good and he was not. Grace has to cover our communication with God. No grace no communication. There are three red flags that can indicate we are a praying pharisee.
- I have done this so God should do this.
- Thank God I'm not like them.
- The root of your requests is me , myself, and I.
Stop letting fear drive
If you go to another country, you have to exchange the currency of your country for the country you visit. If you want to be able to purchase goods.
Without faith, your requests will dry up before you even say amen. Fear is the currency of this world, whereas faith is the currency of heaven.
If we are going to come into the presence of God, we have to have faith that He will come through. This is the fifth reason out of the 7 reasons why our prayers are not answered. The prayer motivated by fear questions the power of God.
If we use prayer as a lifeline when we’re drowning, we’re approaching God out of fear instead of faith. Fear proclaims to God the problems, whereas faith proclaims to God the possibilities. The three steps below can help you weed out the fear in your prayers.
- Recall what God has done.
- Acknowledge what God can do.
- Call out to God to do what He alone can do.
Some assembly required
A community of farmers held a prayer meeting asking God to bring rain. One farmer left the meeting to check his fields.
The other left the prayer meeting, grabbed an umbrella, plowed his field, and put fertilizer out. We have to ready the field of our lives for our answered prayer.
Sometimes our prayers remain unanswered because we remain unmoved. We need to pray like it is all up to God and work like it’s up to us. So before you take offense at God for what He hasn’t done, make sure you’ve done all you can do.
Amen isn't the end
Out of the 7 reasons why our prayers are not answered, this last reason is the most prevalent. We falsely think when we say amen, that is the end of it. But we know from Scripture there is always a period of time between saying amen and God delivering our blessing. During this waiting time, we like to give up on God.
But we have to come to the realization that the waiting God makes us go through is because God is always right on time. Do you want proof? Sin is the painful shrapnel of what it looks like to pick a blessing before its time.
At the root of sin is a shortcut to satisfaction that leaves us broken. So we can wait successfully by focusing on the wonder of God as we wait on the promises of God.
Don't forget the 7 reasons why our prayers are not answered
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