Unanswered Prayers

Why?

Do you sometimes feel you have prayers that are unanswered, and feel God is distant, not listening?  Or, do you feel you are stranded on a desert Island, calling out for help, but no one answers? You send out an SOS prayer in a bottle of hope, tossed out to sea, never to be found again? Are you left depleted, hopeless or wondering why, because no one has come to save you?

James 1:6-7, Encourages us to ask in faith without doubting the possibilities of answered prayer, no matter how deep or wide our prayers can be.  Can I reassure you here, that it does matter to our heavenly Father, and Jesus.  Have we positioned or postured our heart to openly hear the answers to our questions? God is perfectly capable of not only hearing but answering too.

I have had countless conversations with women over the years, with so much discouragement in their hearts due to their prayers not be fulfilled or answered.  They feel they are just waiting in the waiting room and still waiting. They are left with the question, why? Is God real? Does He hear? Does He answer?  The answer is, absolutely and simply, yes!

There are many biblical characters in the bible who had unanswered prayers.  One that comes to mind is the Apostle Paul, in the New Testament.  Paul repeatedly asked God more than once to remove the ‘thorn from his side.’ We are not sure whether this ‘thorn’ was a physical, emotional, spiritual indisposition, or simply persecution from Satan. Paul’s prayer was never openly answered.  Did Paul give up? No, he kept going! Fixing his eyes on Jesus. Running the race with patient endurance, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of his faith (Hebrews 12:1). The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to keep advancing forward, no matter what. The depiction of the ‘thorn’ was never described in the Bible. God was more concerned about building and shaping Paul’s character to be more Christ like, to remove any stumbling pride, and for Paul to remain in God’s all-sufficient grace.  

One of the reasons for our unanswered prayer, could be because our inner motives behind our requests may not be aligned to God’s will for us; and has the potential to become a stumbling block to receiving answered prayer. Through sin, good intentions or motives that are in error could hinder the prayers of God’s people. In Psalm 66:18, David said this, “If I had cherished iniquity, sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” In other words, If I had been intentionally or unintentionally snuggling up with the adversary, the Lord would never have listened.  I’m not saying here we are doing this, but be careful, check, reflect and pray over our inner motives.

James 4:3 says this, “You ask and you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your passions.” Can we be honest with ourselves here, are we asking with wrong motives or desires that motivates our reasonings? It is essential before we pray that we examine the reasons behind our requests. In James 4:3, encourages us to check out our motives, the reasons for asking. Are we asking or being driven by something else that maybe a self-seeking prayer?

Unanswered prayers are not always linked to sin, but rather the divine timings of God, according to His time-line, plans and purposes. God’s timing is always perfect and on cue.  Eccl 3:1 state’s “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”  God is in control of our present and future, and has ordained His time-lines for every situation on the earth, that we get to choose to play a part in; in order that His purposes will be fulfilled, established at His appointed time. God responds to our prayers according to His perfect will and timing.

I would love to spend a few moments with you, to share from my own personal situation that I was experiencing as a young Mum.  In my early twenties, I had my first beautiful son.  Until ten years had passed, my husband and I was trying for our second child. With many tears, prayers and anticipations, I could not conceive. I would get to the 11th hour thinking could this be it? Am I going to be a Mum again? To then go through the pangs of disappointment, “I’m not pregnant." I would get all the symptoms of a ‘phantom’ pregnancy, but to no avail. This wasn’t because God did not hear my heart-cry prayers, or for God to be cruel in the silence of no answer.  I then realised I needed some healing in my womb that was the stumbling block to an answered prayer.  In my pursuit for healing, I was invited to a women’s conference in Wales. It was there that I received the supernatural healing that I needed. Two months later, I was then told I had conceived with my second child. The funny thing is this, because there is 10 years between our children, both our children received our full undivided love, care and attention as they were growing up.  They are the most awesome adult children we could have ever asked for.  Did God hear my prayers? Absolutely!  Would I of changed a thing? No!  It was a matter of God’s perfect timing for us as family.

Can I reassure you here, that our heavenly Father listens to every single prayer that is postured towards heaven. Our Father in heaven does not ignore them, nor for Him to simply be unjust, unkind or silent.  Proverbs 13:12 says this… “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” What does this mean? The word ‘deferred’ is explained as something that is put off, suspended or delayed. Unfulfilled dreams can make us lose hope, left wanting, or simply want to give up. The longer we do not see anything physically happening, the more wilted and discouraged we become.  Can I encourage you, not to give up, or to give in.  Do not be robbed of a blessing, or listen to the lies of our adversary.

But there is hope. Proverbs 13:12 further on says this…. “But a desire fulfilled is a tree of life”.  The desires of our hearts are ultimately placed there by God.  Why? So that we get to live out an awesome life that God has planned for each one of us before we were even born (read Psalm 139).  God wants to bless our socks off!! That promise is waiting for us, to receive it.  Don’t focus on the maybes or deferred hope. Instead focus on the restored Tree of life. The very source of life that connects to our faith, dreams and hopes, has been restored. The complete fulfilment of all our prayers.

God says in Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  Our heavenly Father’s plans are not to harm or disappoint us, but rather to surround us with peace and contentment, to give us a beautiful future, assured with steadfast hope.  God will listen to our every word, if we humble ourselves to reach out to Him with all of our heart, He will not disappoint us. That’s a kingdom promise!

In scripture we are encouraged to wait upon the Lord. Romans 8:25 “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”  Patience produces character, character produces hope, that will never fail or dispirit us. We are required to depend and rely on the wisdom and the timings of God, rather than our understanding or limited time lines. We are encouraged to trust and rely on His appointed timings.

How can we pray for answered prayers?

• Be persistent in our prayers before Him. Our father in heaven encourages us not to give up. To set our prayers like flint before Him, to stay strong and determined, to be intentional, to see it through.

• Position ourselves with God’s will.  To reflect and trust in God’s divine plan for us, rather than wanting our own way or desires. In letting go to surrender our plans; trusting that God knows a better and lasting way forward.

• Have faith in God. Faith is the unseen substance, assurance and fundamental basis to answered prayer. Believe and trust in the process, that God will come through for you.  Doubt and faith cannot exist in the same room, or co-exist side by side.  Doubt and fear weaken our faith. Doubt is the overarching enemy of faith. Jesus said in Matt 21:22, “whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” If we believe without doubting, we shall receive what we have asked for.  Faith overcomes fear.

• Seek God’s will first. "Not my will, but your will be done." We need to surrender our request before God. Why? So that we will align ourselves towards His perfect plan for us.  Let’s look at God’s perspective. God may have a different plan for us. This is an opportunity for organic growth in deepening our trust and relationship with Him.

• Forgiveness. Unforgiveness can be a stumbling block to receiving a breakthrough. Is there anyone past or present that you have not forgiven or holding a grudge?  In not forgiving others can be a stumbling block to our answered prayer, or possibly block our communication with God. 

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act;

it is a permanent attitude.”

 – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Take away…

God is teaching us to be steadfast in him, even in the silence of unanswered prayers.

God teaches us to pray for His will and timings rather than our needs and limited timings.

God teaches us to examine our motives, unforgiven relationships which is preventing our ultimate breakthrough, deliverance or restoration, by confessing our sins and for our fleshly desires to die.

God teaches us to know with confidence and assurance that God does hear our prayers.

Our prayers make a difference; when you don’t see the difference, that’s called faith.

God teaches us to be persistent, to not give up praying.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father, please help me to not always want my own way, but rather to seek your will and purpose over my life.

Help me to give you the time that you deserve, in order for me to hear clearly and with clarity, the things that you want to impart to me.

I am sorry when I have doubted you, when it feels like praying forever and doubting you in the silence of unanswered prayer.

Help me to walk in your truth and light, to know that you do answer prayers.

Help me to check my motives, and to cooperate to your will.

If there is anyone I have not forgiven, or held a grudge, I choose now to forgive and release them into your love and care.

Help me to trust in your plans and to be at peace in knowing who you are,

my heavenly father.

Amen!

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