Why is God not answering my prayers?

Do you feel God is far away from you at the point you need Him? Are you wondering why God is not answering your requests?

When I was a girl, I prayed fervently and continually every day that I would pass all my high school exams. Let me stress again that I prayed very hard. At the end of the semester, my results were not what I had expected and prayed for. I was sad and discouraged. I couldn’t understand why a good God would not answer a small girl’s plea to make her pass her exams. It didn’t stop me from loving God, but I didn’t get an answer to this puzzle on my heart until I was much older. I grew to understand that though God is a merciful God, He is also a principled God. You must use the right keys to open the door you want to access. Before we go further, I need you to know that God answers prayers. Oh yes, He does! Put your cursor over the following verses and read to confirm – 1 John 5:14-15, John 15:7, Isaiah 65:24. I didn’t get the answer I desired as a young girl because I did all praying but studied a little. I prayed with emotions and not based on His Word. While God may not have granted my request, He used it teach me a vital lesson to trust God even when I don’t understand. You must learn to trust God even when you don’t understand. Since then until today, I cannot tell you how many of my prayer requests I have received answers to, and the best part are the requests I didn’t make. God can do the same for you.

Why God may not answer your prayers?

• Sin (Psalm 16:18)
• Praying for selfish motives (James 4:3)
• Wrong approach (Romans 8:26-27)
• Praying without faith (Hebrews 11:6)
• When God wants to build your faith and mature you

So, what if I have satisfied all these conditions yet God is not answering?

• Don’t stop praying1 Thessalonians 5:17. Continue to pray in faith (Matthew 21:21). Your faith will build up as you study God’s Word concerning your request. Find it (chat with us if you need help) and read it every day, regularly, until it becomes solid in you.
• We may not know why God doesn’t answer some requests, so you must stop trying to figure it out. His answer may be “wait” or “no” for reasons only an infinite God can understand. You must be resolute that God is able to do what He promised and if He doesn’t, He knows what’s best for you. Read Psalm 55:22.
• Wait for God’s timing. This may be a hard thing to do as we all want our answers immediately. Relax and don’t focus on the problem; fix your gaze on God and His words. The more you focus on God, the more your faith builds and the smaller your request becomes. Read our lesson called “Standing Strong Against Trouble” for more knowledge.

God does answer prayers. He may not come at the time you need Him to, but He makes all things work out for your good. Before I round up this lesson, let me share with you something my mother told me many years ago when I expressed to her that I believe God is far away from me. Her response was, “My dear, God doesn’t move away from us; He is the same always. So anytime you feel God is far away from you, know that you moved, not God.” This discussion helped me greatly. So anytime I feel far from God, I check my activities and I realize that I have not been spending adequate time with God.

Friend, God is ever faithful, and He will come through for you. If you need us to agree together with you in prayer, send in your request through our “Contact Us” form and our mentors will be sure to pray along with you. Do us a favor while you are waiting for your answers: don’t give up!