Devotions
Does God care? - Part 2: Why are my prayers not answered?
... We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans - Rom 8:26
Every
Christian author I know has in one way or another written about prayer. Every
believer has at least once listened to a sermon about the importance of prayer.
My intent is not another sermon about prayer. I will only share my own
experience about prayer. At different times in my life, I asked God three
questions: 1) why should I pray? 2) why should I plead and insist in prayer? 3)
why is my prayer not answered? He gave me three simple answers I’m sharing with
you now.
Why
should I pray? If God is my father, why do I have to pray since he knows all I
need? Is there any parent who doesn’t take care of their children’s needs? The
fact is that since the fall of Adam and Eve, God has always respected the
choice of man: independence. You are free to choose; I am free to choose. God
will never impose anything on us. If you want God to intervene in your life,
you have to ask him in prayer. Prayer is the only way to take our petitions to
God, and without prayer, God’s hands are bound. He can’t do anything. James
says, “You do not have because you do not
ask God” (James 4:2b).
Ok, I
understand that I have to pray, but why should I keep insisting? If I said it
once is it not enough? There are certainly reasons known only by God. One
example is that some demons can only be defeated through much prayer and
fasting (Matthew 17:21). But as I said, I want to share my own experience. God
doesn’t want to be your ATM or your candy dispenser machine. You choose an item
and press a button, and voila, the answer is there. He is interested in
developing a relationship with you. God’s pleasure is to be with his children.
The more you genuinely go to God in prayer for a request, the more you enjoy
God’s presence more than the answer to your prayer. God becomes your purpose,
and his answer is no longer the objective to attain but a blessing to enjoy
while you pursue the true-life meaning, which is a flourishing relationship
with your God.
Why
isn’t my prayer being answered? I will give you the answer in the form of my
personal story. I had just finished cutting my nails with a razor blade and put
it down on the table. My son, who was one year old at the time, ran and picked
it. Like lightning, I took it from him and threw it away. He cried all his
tears to get it back. I did not answer him at all. Here is my question, how do
you know whether that request you are crying for, day in day out, that blessing
that makes sense in your eyes and you think you deserve, is not a sharp razor
that will cut through you and make you bleed to death? As we said last week,
our understanding of God’s ways is so limited that what we think is a good
thing leads to perdition in the end. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to
death.” What appears to be a blessing may be your first-class ticket to
hell. The Spirit knows better what we ought to pray for and intercedes for our
needs.
Remember,
your eternal life is what is most important to God. However, don’t get it
wrong; he also cares a lot about what happens to us here on earth. As the Bible
says, “Let the Lord be magnified, who has
pleasure in the prosperity of his servant” (Psalms 35:27 NKJV). He delights
in seeing us with good families, blessed with good jobs and businesses,
enjoying good health and all the material blessings. But his ultimate desire
for us is to see us make it to heaven. If your desire is aligned with God’s
purpose it will come to pass at the right time. If not, the Spirit is now
interceding for you for a greater blessing. Enjoy life.
Posted : May 11, 2026