Hello and welcome to a long-awaited blog post. I'm Ty Blacke, and today's topic is all about unanswered prayers. After recently doing a podcast on this very topic, I thought it would be a good time to write down my key takeaways in a condensed form for you all to read.
Is God Even Listening?
Yes, God hears your prayers. Not only does He hear you, He knows what you need before you even speak.
1 John 5:14
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Matthew 6:8
For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Why Aren't Your Faithful Prayers Being Answered?
Could it be because you didn't pray hard enough? Did you not ask Him at the proper time? Or is God maliciously withholding your wants? Thankfully, Biblical knowledge denies all three of those questions.
1. Could it be because you didn't pray hard enough?
The pagans prayed unceasingly in faith (1 Kings 18:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), but their prayers were not answered. Why? Was their faith not sufficient? Technically, yes, it was, but they prayed to a false god, Baal, who never responded to them. Dare I say: many of us are doing the same thing today and don't even know it. Praying hard enough does not get you into heaven, nor does it mean your prayers will be answered. Praying and believing in faith in Jesus Christ does. However, your prayers may not be answered in the way you expect. More on this later.
Psalm 5:3
In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
2. Did you not ask Him at the proper time?
There is never a bad time to approach God, as He is unchanging (Malachi 3:6). Since God is outside time, we cannot ask Him at a bad time since it doesn't even exist for Him. Instead, we are told to approach Him as much as possible.
2 Peter 3:8-9
Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
3. Is God maliciously withholding your wants?
No, scripture is adamant in telling us that His plan is the absolute best for us. God wants you to flourish, and He knows how to bless you better than anyone else does. All He asks in return for these blessings is a heart aligned to His own.
Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11
‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Now, you may be saying: "My heart is aligned with God and my intentions are good." If that's you, I want to give you encouragement. God is not done with His plan, nor has He given up on you.
Unexpected Outcomes
- When Elijah prayed for his life to be taken from him, God sent an angel to give him life and restore him (1 Kings 19).
- When Paul repeatedly prayed for the thorn in his side to be removed, it remained (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
- Jesus prayed to His Father that the cup of wrath He was about to drink would be taken away from Him, but He still had to drink (Matthew 26:36-46).
If the three people above could talk to us right now, they would say that they were glad that their prayers were not answered in the way they wanted or expected. If Jesus' prayer were granted, we would not be able to obtain salvation through His atoning blood. Praying is not the cause of harm but growth through reverence for Christ.
The Bottom Line
It is hard to accept it when your prayer does not get answered, especially when you have prayed faithfully; we have all been there. However, we can rest assured that there is a greater reason than what we currently see. It may be time to wait for something better, or it may be time to pull the plug and go for it when you aren't ready. The fact that God chooses to reveal as much as He does shows us His great love.
God knows that we want all the answers right away, but that would not be faith at all. We must trust in His unfailing plan and remember that we are already victorious in Christ. Since God is for us, nobody can be against us (Romans 8:31).
Give thanks to the Lord that His ways are above your own. We do not serve a God who guesses and makes mistakes. It is hard to fathom this, but we must have a deep understanding of the below so that we can avoid being frustarted by God when we should be giving Him all our praise.
Isaiah 58:8-9
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
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