Sitting still in prayer has always been a struggle for me. I’m an on-the-go person that doesn’t like to sit still for long. Over the last year, I have really grown in learning how to submit my time to God’s including sitting with God in His presence. There are many ways to pray. Sitting still before the Lord is just one way to share your concerns with Him. My favorite ways to pray most days are with art and in constant conversation with Jesus as I go about my day. But we must not neglect just sitting in the presence of God because that is where the rest and refreshment are…with Him.
I’ve seen many answered prayers in the last few years and many I’m still waiting on. For years I know God waited for me to claim His power over my life through prayer. I had to get to a desperate place for me to finally listen to Him about being consistent in my prayer life. God had to send someone to call me out for my sin stating that I was weak in prayer for me to kick my prayer life up a notch in consistency. We have to make time for prayer because prayer is the key to unlock God’s power over our life. It’s how we build our relationship with Jesus. We must seek Him first in everything, not just some things. This world is a battleground and prayer is our weapon.
Prayer can be discouraging to some or even counted as insignificant when you are consistent and persistent and there are still no answers to your request.
If you are feeling your desire for prayer is dwindling don’t give up. Here are five reasons your prayers may not be answered, yet.
- Wrong Motives
“You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” –James 4:3 CSB
- Unforgiveness
“And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.” –Mark 11:25
- You Have Idols
“But you have abandoned me and worshiped other gods. Therefore, I will not deliver you again. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed.” –Judges 10:14
You are praying to another god. There is only one true god one way to Him…through Jesus. (John 14:6)
- No Faith In Action/Not Being Obedient
“For we walk by faith not by sight.” –2 Corinthians 5:7
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”
-Deuteronomy 5:33
- It’s Not Time, Yet
“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9
“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” –Habakkuk 2:3
God will answer our prayers in ways that are best for us—not necessarily how we would like or want. He is a good God and always provides. He loves to give good gifts! Those gifts may not always look like what we think we need but instead, what He knows we need. A lot of the time what we think we need is a lesser thing than the gifts He gives.
Trust His timing and His plan. Walk in faith and move forward in obedience to the next steps God is asking you to take. He’s not going to reveal the whole plan. If we remain frozen in fear we won’t move toward the promises.
Share your heart fully with Jesus, and I mean all of it. God can handle the good, bad and the ugly. Ask Him to test your heart to see if you have anything hindering your prayers from being answered. If you have gone astray, repent and receive His grace. You can pick up His grace and get back on track with your desires aligned with His because He likely has a greater answer to even your biggest dream.
Waiting is hard. In times of waiting, we must take our eyes off of the promise and redirect our focus to the Promiser. Be persistent and never cease praying because He is faithful. He gives us everything we need for today. When we can delight in Him and in today, we can wait with joy and peace knowing that at the appointed time our prayers will be answered with God’s fullest desire for us.
Prayer:
Father God, you are so faithful and always gracious to us. You delight in us and desire the best for us. Thank you! Forgive us when we have wrong motives, are sitting in unforgiveness, look to other things before You, and having idols. We repent for those things. Align our hearts with yours and help us walk in faith over fear. You give good gifts as it says in Matthew 7:11. May we not settle for our desires but willingly wait for your greater plan. Let Your will be done. Allow our hearts to settle in with contentment in times of waiting while still expecting good things to come. May our greatest desire be You, Jesus. We open our hearts to Yours and listen to You speak. We love you dearly! In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen!
Bonus Tip: Praying Scripture Aligns Us With God’s Will. Don’t Forget To Pray Scripture Reminding God Of His Very Own Words.