Why won’t the Lord answer my prayers?
Why won’t the Lord answer my prayers? Maybe you have fervently prayed about something, but it seems as if God is not hearing or He just won’t answer. Are there times when God doesn’t answer?
I was reading a devotional by Charles Stanley and he pointed out some very good reasons why He doesn’t always answer and I thought they were worth sharing.
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Why won’t the Lord answer my prayers?
- God knows when our attention has been misdirected. Is your priority your relationship with the Lord? Or have you so focused on what you might need or want instead of focusing on the one who meets those needs or wants? Maybe He wants us to refocus on Him. One way we can refocus on Him is to make sure we are thanking Him and praising Him when we bring our requests to Him. Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus
- God knows the right timing. God knows the right time to answer a request. We don’t see behind or ahead of the scenes. Maybe there are certain events that must happen first or maybe the Lord is working in someone’s heart to change their thinking before he gives that answer.
- God wants to grow your faith. There are times when we need to wait on the Lord. In these times we are often being matured in our faith and given opportunities to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in difficult or waiting times. Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Do others around us see these fruits being manifested in our lives while we wait for God to answer or do they see worry and anxiety? You never know when someone is watching.
- God wants to show us that our motive for our request is wrong or that we have sin in our lives. Is He holding back on answering your prayer because you need to confess and forsake sin in your life? Psa_66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
As you think and wonder why doesn’t God answer my prayers, remember that His ways are higher than our ways; Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. His ways are much higher than our ways. Can you trust that He is God and knows what is for our best? As you wait on Him, serve Him with all your heart. Remember a waiter is someone that serves others, so as you wait keep serving. Psa_27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Focus on Him, Believe His Word, and confess and forsake your sin. He has not forgotten you!
