Assuming the existence of God as a given, why does God never answer my prayers?

Question

Atheist, I know how badly you want to tell me that God doesn't exist; please don't. Many of the rest of you I know that you want to tell me that God does answer prayer, but sometimes the answer is "no"; please don't. I am familiar with all the clichés. What I want is a well thought out intelligent answer not clichés or smart aleck responses.

Answer 1

Because what you are praying for may not be what you need right now, or it may be what you want, but don't need. I pray to win the lottery, but obviously that isn't my lot in life. You want God to come answer every single prayer, and he isn't going to do that, and we've known that since he hasn't answered every prayer ever since prayer started. We humans are too stupid to know what we really need most of the time, and so when we pray, it is usually something trivial and short term that God knows will work itself out in very short order if he just leaves it alone, and because you "suffered" through it, you become stronger.

Answer 2

If you ask for something that is 1. selfish or 2. not in your own true best interest then of course the answer would be no - we are human and fallible, we don't know what is really truly best for us in the long run. For example I could pray to win the lottery but if I did maybe I would die in a bizarre expensive accident like hanggliding, doing something I wouldn't have done without that wrong prayer being granted.

That's why the faithful pray to a higher one who does know, and put every prayer in terms of, within your divine plan for the way I can best serve You.

Answer 3

Well you make the answer very difficult....because there is only two answers.....either God doesn't exist or he just simply says no because if you believe in God then you would not be asking.....and if you didn't, then again, you would not be asking......i don't think that the answers that you gave are cliches they are just someones opinon.....i will say this, the bible does say that you do not get what you want because you pray with the wrong motives....also many people have the same feeling that their prayers are not heard.....when sometimes they are being answered just not in the specific way you would want...but they are still answered.....some times what you pray for is too general and you can't see that your prayer was answered.....that's all i got

Answer 4

First off what are you praying for? If you are praying to win the lotto do you really think that God would answer a pray like that? If you are looking for an obvious answer to your prayers, you will never truly see one. The power of prayer is astounding as it truly can raise spirits and make people feel good. Also, do you think praying to God in a doubtful way is really a good way to pray? "Dear God, If you are there, I would like you to make you cat better, if you are there." True deep prayer requires a lot of thought and can take a lot of time. Yeah so this might be a cliche, but don't go looking for your prayers to be answered in obvious ways.

Answer 5

Maybe it's because you're not in an intimate relationship with Him. Maybe also, it's because you're asking for the wrong things. God doesn't always give us what we ask for because sometimes it's not good for us. If He gave us everything we've ever asked for, we'd be very sorry for having received it. We also would become very ungrateful, and proud. He knows what's good for us, and actually does supply all out NEEDS. And yes, even taking our loved ones from us, in death, works into His plan. We often never see it, but we don't see the big picture like He does. And you can't really say that God doesn't answer all your prayers 'cause He does. The Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust, meaning that everyone takes part in God's blessings, no matter who they are. That's why we get upset when bad people seem to get away with their nasty business. The operative word here is seems. They don't really get away with it. It catches up with them, in the long run. We often don't see it when they get theirs. I've been walking in this faith for many years, and even I don't get all my prayers answered in the way that I want. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about God, and us giving Him the honor and respect that He deserves. When you DO get your prayer answered, do you stop to thank Him? Do you give Him the honor and praise that He deserves? Do you tell others that He answered your prayer in the way you wanted it? And lastly, are you His child? You see, that matters big-time with Him. Having a relationship with Him matters to Him. It's easy to say "What has God done for me to praise Him for?" But, maybe you should wonder what you've done for Him lately. Why should He answer your prayers? No one likes to be ignored, you know. Neither does God. And even though you haven't praised Him when He's given you something you didn't even ask for, He still continues to bless you with a life to live. Think of all you have. God has given you things that you never asked for, never mind what you did ask for. And one last thing. God is not a genie in a bottle. He doesn't grant you things according to your whims. He grants you things according to His good pleasure and in His time. I'm not being a smark aleck. Just pointing a few things out that you've failed to notice. <*)))><

Answer 6

What if 2 people prayed for 2 exact opposite things to happen? Would God answer both prayers or would He choose the more righteous one? Maybe your problem is the lack of trust; or maybe God is doing what's best for you. What if you went thru all this suffering in life to find it was just a test from God in exchange for heaven.?Would you care then if He answered your prayers or not? What's more important is perserverance and patience; this is what seperates the pious from those whose belief lasts as long as their happiness. God bless!

Answer 7

Prayers are often answered in ways that may not seem instantaneously obvious. God may not answer your prayers in the way you expect. In fact, the answer may not even come to you. The answer may be given from someone you don't even know, or have even ever come in contact with. The answer may not be revealed to you now, or maybe not for years. However, sometimes those prayers are answered in another form. You just have to be open minded enough to see the answer when it's not put directly in front of your eyes. Your answer may be indirect, but it is there...keep looking.

Answer 8

So right here's the counter to that. technology tries to describe organic phenomenon. we favor to comprehend how gravity behaves, how chemical reactions happen, and so on. and so on. One answer commonly leads us to extra questions. We study about how electrons are inquisitive about chemical bonding, and then ought to ask extra complicated questions about how electrons works. So, you want a attempt to instruct or disprove God. nicely, my question will be what led you on your statement that God exists. What phenomenon does "God" reason. How would the existence of "God" help us comprehend? there is no such case. The conjecture that God exists is as functional as Russell's Teapot. (if you're unfamiliar Bertrand Russell proposed that there turned right into a teapot that changed into so small that it ought to no longer be said through modern telescopes orbiting Jupiter. no matter if telescopes were given extra ideal, it changed into nevertheless conceivable that this teapot exists. for this reason, you could not disprove the teapot). the conception being that it really is irrelevant. if you're going to make the declare that something exists, it is your burden to grant some supportive evidence. in case you could not try this, then it really is stupid and irrelevant for you to easily argue that we received't instruct that the phenomenon would not exist.

Answer 9

sometimes we get our wish

sometimes we don't

when we do, we say god

when we don't we say stupid question, must not have been worth it

but no amputee has ever got thier arms/legs back and never will

while a sugar pill is 63% effective in curing sickness, prayer and meditation is just the same

but medicine is about 25% effective

knowing what is attainable is part of your issue

ask for the possible, not the impossible

that will improve answers to prayer

a "no" isn't an answer...you will die before getting that one

you can be the miracle or answer your own prayer by talking and doing at same time with what you do have, like brains, doctors, meds, herbs, food, water, rest, exercise, preventive and reactive care, therapy, and if the prayer wasn't answered?

try again later, or automated answering service of TBN

Answer 10

The first prayer that he answers is the sinners prayer.
It's basic message to God is: I come to you acknowledging that you are God. I am a sinner. I accept your Son Jesus as my Lord and Savior and ask Him to come into my heart. It's so simple a child can pray it. the key is that you have to be sincere. After that we hear Gods answers, but sometimes we go through a dry season where it seems like Gods not there. He is and it will pass, keep on keeping on!