Christians frequently ask: “Why doesn’t God answer my prayer, which I have prayed for a long time?”.
There could be several reasons why an answer is delayed or refused. I do not know your situation, but the following are some likely scenarios, which we can all fall into.
Known sins
If we know there is something God wants us to do or doesn’t want us to do (and it is in keeping with what the Bible says), we should take care of that thing first.
Jesus said, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (Matthew 5:23-24).
So before we offer our prayers to God, we should examine ourselves to see if there is any known sin in us. If we are aware of any sin, we should turn away from it, ask for God’s forgiveness, and seek God’s help to resist that sin in the future. Don’t let sin become a wall between you and God.
Not submitting to God
When we ask God for something, we need to submit to His will. We often pray for God to help us with what we want Him to help us with. Instead, we should align our lives to what God wants to do, because we have been purchased with a high price and our lives are not our own. We should not insist our own way, because God has the best in mind and He is God.
Also, does what we ask have a right motive?
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ ” (James 4:13-15)
Not asking in faith or giving up
“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart…” (Luke 18:1). See Parables on Prayer.
“…Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
Jesus wants us to trust Him with all our heart. He will help us and He is never late. Sometimes we get ahead of God to do our own thing. Or we give up on seeking God’s help when we see delays. Do not give up on God before He comes to help you, and do not fall into despair and lose heart. When God comes to help us, will He find faith in us? Or will He see that we don’t really trust Him to help us with our situation anymore?
Even though God might still answer us because He loves us, depending on the situation, God may also choose to not grant an answer or to delay His response.
God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We often need something urgently from God and focus only on that need. But God wants us to learn to obey Him by trusting Him.
And God tests us to see whether we would trust Him. Will you pass the test and wait for God?
Summary
So in order to effectively pray, practice these things:
- Repent of any known sins, because sin should not become a wall between you and God.
- Ask with pure motives, and submit to what God wants to do.
- Don’t neglect a relationship with God, and continue to do the things that please Him.
- Trust in the Lord and wait for God.
Learn how to increase your faith.
Read Luke 18 in the Bible.