Have you ever felt that when you prayed harder, your prayers are still not answered?

Answer 1

What a good serious question to begin the New Year. But as I read the eighteen responses you have received so far, all I hear are the old cliches.

Here’s one set that I’ve heard since childhood: “God answers all prayers. Sometimes the answer is no.” “He is answering your prayers...you just aren't listening.” “Sure, but I once heard that God answers all prayer with three answers: Yes No Not right now.” “Sometimes your prayers are not answered right away--or they are answered but we just don't realize it.” “Actually God answers all prayers .His answer is either yes, no or wait.” “I believe that God will answer the prayer in his own way so you just have to believe. Stay blessed!”

Simple faith, but not very comforting, is it? You knew, when you asked the question, that you would receive answers like these, didn’t you?

Then, of course, there is the flip side of that coin: “It's almost as though there's no one there to answer them, isn't it?” “Of course they aren't answered. There's no god to answer them.” “Either your god is heartless, powerless, both, or does not exist at all.” “One man with a hammer can do more than a billion people praying.”

Of course, I can’t answer your question either. No one can. I simply repeat to myself again and again two of my favorite scriptures. The first one happens to be from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “There a Divinity that shapes our ends / Rough hew them how we will.” The other is, “I believe, help Thou mine unbelief.”

But, you know, as I’ve grown older, I have come to realize that the significance of prayers lies not in the answers, but in the prayers themselves. I am the prayers I pray. I would almost rephrase that old Kantian axiom: I pray; therefore, I am. What I pray is what I say to the Infinite I AM.

The “answer” to prayer, if I can all it that, is my relationship to the Infinite I AM and, hence, to the “brotherhood” (to use an old-fashioned, sexist word) of humankind.

More and more I find the prayers that speak from my soul in the words of brothers (and sisters) who came before me; especially the Psalms and the Gospels, but also poets, saints, and mystics from the beginning of time.

A book that I’ve discovered recently has become another one of my personal scriptures. Published back in 1945 and recently reissued, it is Men Who Walked with God by Sheldon Cheney (not, not that other Cheney!). Though Cheney was an art critic of renown, this book began as an attempt to write a history of mysticism. It became, I think, an exploration of belief, going all the way from Las Tzu and Gautama Buddha to Jacob Boehme and William Blake,

I have added a prayer adapted from one of his visionaries, concluding, "I pray, realizing that, in answer to this seeking, sometimes the gate to Divine Mystery might be opened to me; if so, immediately, in an instant, I would understand more than I have come to understand in all my many years of reading and study, of college and university life, of experience and personal reflection."

The answer to prayer is in the seeking, not finding, for to seek is to find. As Cheney says of Jacob Boehme, when he prays, he “comes into the presence of God, he experiences divinity as a sweet radiant glow through all his being. . . . Very simply he avers that any one of us may come out of the darkness of worldly living by tending the flame of the divine that has been kindled in each human being, that yearns back toward home in God, toward a Paradise that is a glowing, luminous realm.”

There is a Divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them how we will.

I believe; help my unbelief.

Answer 2

yes. join the very large and ever-growing club. However, the good news is that the result of our prayers don't hinge on our feelings. or our perspective of what praying "harder" is. Prayers hinge on the ability/wisdom/timeframe/sovereignty/perspective of the One who answers them. There could be a thousand reasons why my prayers aren't being answered. But the bottom line is that if you truly didn't believe that the One who you are praying to, doesn't have the ability, or since of fairness, to adequately answer them, you wouldn't have prayed in the first place.

you just gotta trust. it's hard. it goes against natural feelings. but if you had the answers yourself, then you wouldn't have prayed in the first place, would you? you have to continue to trust. the answer is coming. it may already be there. you may not hear/see it. all in good time.

Answer 3

actually God answers all prayers .His answer is either yes,no or wait.Be patient enough to wait for the right answer in God's perfect time.We don't have the right to question the Lord because He knows what He is doing.Prayer can move mountain.the prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective.Sometimes God's answer is no to our prayer because of wrong motives or selfish motives. it depends what's really in your heart.God promise that if we ask something in prayer believe that we have receive the answer.be strong and have courage.I hope you have a strong faith in God.pray without ceasing.God has a good purpose why sometimes He has to delay the answer to test you if you really have faith in Him.believe in your heart that God will answer your prayer sooner or later.God bless!

Answer 4

Sure, but I once heard that God answers all prayer with three answers

Yes
No
Not right now

Maybe we're not listening to the answers we get and still waiting for the answers we want

Answer 5

Of course they aren't answered. There's no god to answer them. Prayer is just a way for people to feel like they're doing something without actually having to do it.

One man with a hammer can do more than a billion people praying.

Answer 6

Hundreds of millions prayed for your god to stop Hitler before he caused 30+ million to die during WWII and he did NOTHING. A simple little blood clot would have done the trick, say in 1934, but NOOOOOO. If this god of yours could turn a good woman into a pillar of salt for looking over her shoulder, why couldn't he answer the prayers to end evil. Either your god is heartless, powerless, both, or does not exist at all.

Answer 7

Jesus suggested if my words abide you, you may ask what you'll. God has responded particular issues in my existence, one time about 0.5-hour after praying specially about something. My spouse and that i have been a merely married and attempting to make ends meet. I prayed for a particular human being who provided me artwork each once and a lengthy time period to end by and delivers me a job. I hadn't considered this human being in a lengthy time period and about 0.5-hour later, he confirmed up at my the front door and had some artwork for me. some might want to assert that it change into merely twist of destiny, yet i understand God moved for me. do not get discouraged God does answer prayers.

Answer 8

Hi there!

I've felt that way many times! But you know what? God hears all of your prayers and answers them in His time----it might not be the way you wanted it to be answered, but trust that no prayer ever falls on deaf ears. I've realized through my faith journey that God is a merciful, all knowing God and He will take care of me. When I feel like He's not listening, it builds me up further in my faith, and it teaches me to trust in Him more. After all, He is my maker! So don't get discouraged, God loves you, and knows you better than you know yourself. You were knit together with love and He'll take care of you all of your days on this earth. God bless, and keep the faith!! :)

Answer 9

Only a few times. I found that when I prayed really hard, that's when the doodoo really hit the fan. I think it's the Goddess giving me a spanking out of love. No, I don't mean in the kinky way. lol

Answer 10

it is not the issue of harder only. it is having 3 issues:
1- even if it is not hard, make it a daily habit.
2- wait and be patient, it may take years. read prophits stories.
3- have absolute believe of your pray.