No answers to prayers?

Question

What does everyone else do when they find it hard to pray, and when they do it seems like God is not listening? I know our timing is not his but I feel like I have been abandoned by God.

Answer 1

God hears all the prayers of the righteous.

Prayers are not answered for two reasons. The first is that you are not abiding in the Lord.

Joh 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (ESV Translation)

The word "abide" is really important. It means to "be at home in."
"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.," said the psalmist (see Psa_119:11)—not in his head, but in his heart.

This is the problem with most of our prayers. Jas_4:2-3 says,
Jas 4:2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Jas 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me," declared the psalmist (Psa_66:18). Why? Because God won't allow us to live in sin that will hurt both us and those around us. Consequently, He says, "I'm going to break communication with you not because I'm angry with you or because I'm giving up on you, but because something's amiss within you that will bring pain into your life and problems into the lives of those around you. So when your prayers aren't being answered or when the Word doesn't seem to speak to you, call upon Me. Let Me come in and cleanse your temple. And then I will teach. Then you will hear My voice. Then you will see My face." I think too many of us minimize the importance of quietly waiting on the Lord and asking Him to search our hearts. Before teaching, there must be cleansing.

We have a tendency to think our prayers are answered in direct proportion to how many times we've been in church, how many times we've had devotions, how many times we've given offering. But nothing is further from the truth. Prayer is not based upon merit. It's based upon mercy.

From John 15:16, we learn that the secret of life is bearing fruit that God may be glorified, not for our own satisfaction, but in order that others might be nourished from the fruit produced in, through, and often, in spite of us! Focus on yourself, and you'll be miserable. Be a lover of God and of people. Get your eyes off your problems and pains, your tears and fears. Look for ways to refresh, satisfy, and bless others—and you'll find the secret of life itself.

From Ga 5:22-23 we learn more three things about what abiding in Christ means.

First, there is production of fruit. "I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing" (Joh_15:5).

Second, there is correction from the Father. "Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit (Joh_15:2).

Some say the purging spoken of here means pruning. Others say "to purge" means "to clean" (Joh_15:3). You see, when a vine was prolific, the branches would become weighed down with an abundance of fruit. Add a rainy season to the picture, and the result would be muddy grapes. Thus, the vinedresser would wash the branches periodically in order that the fruit would remain pure.

What does it mean to be purged? Does it mean to be pruned—or does it mean to be washed? I think it means both. You see, the Lord will cleanse you as you study the Word corporately on Sundays and Wednesdays, intimately in your quiet times with Him, and practically through small-group study with other believers. And He will prune you through trials and difficulties, dark days and hard times.

God is so in love with you, He is committed to teaching you—one way or the other. Let me suggest that you choose to be washed by the water of the Word rather than trimmed by the trials of the world!

Lastly, the third mark of an abiding believer is fruition in prayer. "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you " (Joh_15:7). Answered prayers are indicative of an abiding heart. If your prayers are not being answered, it means you're not in harmony with the heart of God.

You'll understand the heart, nature, and character of Jesus if you're abiding in Him. Consequently, your prayers will be in line with His desires.

In other words, our prayer requests are out of line. When we're not in the Word, we don't know how to pray. Prayer and the Word go hand in hand. As I am in the Word, His words abide in me, and it is then that I know how to pray and for what to ask.

But consider the following:

A Christian hunter is hunting bears in the woods. While walking up a hill he grabs a branch for leverage and it breaks sending the hunter tumbling down the hill, gun flying off elsewhere. When the hunter dusts himself off he sees a huge bear charging him. The hunter begins running, but trips and falls, landing on his knees. Seizing the opportunity, and being a good Christian, the hunter begins to pray, "Lord, make this bear a Christian."

The woods are quiet, the hunter turns and, Hallelujah! He sees the bear on his knees, paws together, praying! Listening, he hears the bear praying, "Father, bless this food to my body."

The key message here is that God answers prayers of the righteous, but the answer you get may not be the answer you want, but it will always be the right answer. Prayer is a coming to God, telling Him your need (or the need of others), committing your way unto the Lord, and then leaving God to deal with the case as seems best to Him.

How should one pray to God?

I speak to God in the same manner as I write these words to you now. That is, I have a plain conversation (no “thou’s” “thine’s”, “thy’s”!) with Him each day, especially out under the stars late at night as my family sleeps. My prayers are conversations that follow a pattern. I start every prayer with the following: "Most merciful God, not my will, but yours, be done." I repeat that phrase often during my prayers. Sometimes I will do so for tens of times just to quiet my mind and make it open to hearing from my Creator.

Use the following pattern in all your prayers and you will see them answered: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. See the links below for more information. (acronym: ACTS)

http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/actsmodel.htm
http://www.powertopray.com/howto/ACTS.html

Answer 2

It sounds like you're coming around. Prayer might give you personal comfort and make you feel as if something is being done in a seemingly helpless situation, but prayer has never worked.

Listen to some theists. They will tell you that you should pray to god. If he answers then it's due to his will and grace. If he doesn't then somehow it's your fault or he wants you to suffer before you deserve his attention. Just listen to all of the different run-around explanations you will be told. Then ask yourself if prayer under the conditions the theists describe makes a lick of sense and whether this whole divine intercession thing isn't a load of hooey.

Remember that refusing to pray is not the same as giving up hope. You're just not making irrational demands on a deity that probably doesn't exist and therefore can't hear you or act on behalf of your request.

Answer 3

Celesta Palmer,
GOD answers prayers. Sometimes the answer is YES, sometimes it is NO, and sometimes it is LATER. GOD makes decisions which we can not and is able to do things that no one else can. Just last week, we found out that one of our friend's mother has been in dire shape physically. She went into the hospital to have a tube placed for transfusions and her blood was checked afterwards. She felt much better after the tube was placed and thought that she had been given a transfusion. It was NEVER DONE! The daughter was told that she had improved greatly and did not need any medical intervention at this time. The amazing thing was that the only thing that had been done was she had been on several prayer group lists and GOD evidentally came thru. This woman really thought that she was going to die a year ago and the doctors believed so too. GOD works in mysterious ways. Believe in HIM and ask for what you need in Jesus Name, saying that if it be GOD's WILL. GOD will make decisions that are important and you may never know why or when but HE will know. Email me if you need to talk. I will write you back. Have a great evening.
Thanks,
Eds, A simple Christian.


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Answer 4

First of all, I don't know what you prayed for, but maybe his answer was no.

Also, another thing is, when you pray, every time, make sure that you are asking and receiving forgiveness of sins so that you are coming clean before God and approach him forgiven.

God does not abandon his children, we abandon him. Try asking him to help you understand his answer.

Answer 5

I still try to pray. I also remember that sometimes the answer isn't always going to be what I think it should be.

As an example, if you (when you were little) were to go to your mother 10 minutes before dinner and ask her for a cookie (and let's face it - cookies are yummy!), is she going to say, "Sure honey, go ahead"? Nope!

It's the same way with God. Just like your mother, He knows and wants what's best for you (even if you don't realize that that's what they're doing at the time), and sometimes the answer's going to be "No" or "All right, but not right now."

Yeah, it's not always how we think things ought to be handled, but God never said it'd be easy; He only said it'd be worth it.

Answer 6

it all depends.
many factors are involved.....
how much you fellowship with God. get to know Him.
how much you seek to do His will, read the Bible.
whether or not the prayer is actually selfish in nature or acceptable.
what degree of loving others is being practiced. (faith works by love)
whether or not you find out if your prayer is based on the promises already said "yes" to in His word.
how much you keep the prayer active by praise and thanksgiving that the prayer is answered before you see it answered.
realize that like seeds planted in the ground, prayer takes time to come to pass.
how well you stay in confident expectation.
...

Answer 7

sincere prayers are the ones that soars like a bullet onto the sky and pierces God's heart. pray from the heart and you will feel that you're really praying and talking to God. our prayers are always answered. it's yes or no or wait for the right time or it's not for you, i'll give you something else.

Answer 8

I know I have felt this way before, too. Talking to trusted people that share the same beliefs as you helps alot. Getting feelings out in the open makes them loose power over you. Also, praying OUT LOUD, I mean talking out loud to God, helps me, too. And I tell my God exactly how I am feeling. If I am feeling all alone, I ask him to help.

Answer 9

Keep Praying! Remember the woman in the parable of Luke 18:1-6; And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

Notice Jesus' reply. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

Jesus said: Asked and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be open to you.

There's the "asking" prayer.
There's the "seeking" prayer
There's the "knocking" prayer.

The "knocking" prayer is the mountain moving prayer.

The asking prayer we make our petitions and requests to him. Knowing and seeking his purpose and his will in our petitions. When there is no reply, we continue, until it is answered one way or another.

Remember the woman in the parable.

Answer 10

That is a lie by the devil! I've had that feeling. God is there. He is waiting for you to say "God, I really need help! I can't do this myself!" He is waiting to give wahtever you want, but you have to ask. He wants you to talk to him! He is like your father. Now how would you get something without telling anyone what you want? But sometimes you do talk to him. But like your earthly father you have to beg. You have to perservere. I pray all the time. God is listening. He answers. Sometimes he says "Yes!", sometimes "Wait...", and sometimes "No.". He knows whats best for you. Hang in there. You will make it out.

Answer 11

There was never any god to do the abandoning. It is all too easy to pray, and if something good happens, then god did it, but if it doesn't, then god is not to blame: either your prayer didn't use the right words, or god wasn't in the mood, or god's plan was to screw you over first, or ... pick something -- this could go on all day.