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by Chad Koons

Ever feel like the Lord just isn’t listening? Unanswered prayer can be frustrating, although the reasons why may not be as mysterious as we like to think. Here’s a “what, why, and how” short list on unanswered prayer. Disclaimer: the list below applies to those who are actively loving the Lord. If you are living a sinful lifestyle or harboring unforgiveness, fix those things first and then read today’s list. Now let’s get some prayers answered!

1. You are sincerely asking for the wrong thing. Your desire is the “what” of prayer.

If you don’t want what God wants, you’re sunk. What we consider to be the “good” things can be very different from the “God” things that we need. Although I’ve seen this happen with all ages, here’s a quick example. I was a youth minister for a lot of years. One of my long-time students was desperate for a girlfriend. Big surprise there! Anyhow, he would pray for the Lord to send him a girl. He was very lonely, and I felt for the poor kid. But, a girl was the last thing this young man needed, however. I could clearly see that a romantic relationship at this stage would destroy him. But would he listen to me? NOOO! To him, a girl was the right path. Well, guess what. He got the girl and it surely was not from God. It ruined him. He needed what we all need, to know the will of God for his situation and to set a course upon it.

Are we seeking after the right things? Climb above your current issue for a minute and spend some time seeing the bigger picture. Ask other people in your life who are able to see what you can’t see (we all have blind spots). Discover what the Bible has to say about your life. You might just realize that you were on the wrong track, and you may even get a glimpse of what you truly need to be praying about (and what you need to be doing, for that matter). Know what God wants and do it. When the “God” things are on your radar, you are positioned to win.

2. You are asking with the wrong motives. Your motives are the “why” of prayer.

Wrong motives go hand in hand with the wrong things, yet they may be worse. Why are you seeking what you’re seeking? When we allow our motivations to become askew, we find ourselves wrestling our lives away from the Lord and tragically into our own hands. Often hiding in plain sight, wrong motives are a surefire way to disappointment. Challenge your desires with probing questions. Why am I doing what I am doing? Do I feel that I need to vindicate myself? Am I doing this to look good to people? Is self-exaltation the root of it? Is greed my motivation? Am I striving to be something that I’m not? God will not honor these pursuits, and there is no blessing in them. Sometimes we run after one thing, not realizing that it may cost us everything else. Recognize when your desires are betraying you, attempting to veer you off course. Refuse to adopt a drive for something that will compromise Godly standards. Pause and consider, “Am I desiring after God’s own heart?” Search the Word of God and adjust your motives accordingly. The Lord will bless Godly motives.

3. You are not believing God. Faith is the “how” of prayer.

Here’s an interesting fact: reading the gospels, you will see only two times where Jesus “marveled,” where He stood in amazement over something. What was so important that it caused Jesus to stand in amazement? Faith! Either the lack of it or the abundance of it. Faith was a reality that Jesus was seriously dialed into. Immensely important to God, faith begins with knowing His Word. Be well acquainted with what the Bible has to say and build everything upon it.

Revisiting the subject of Jesus and faith, do you know how many times Jesus attributed faith to the outcome of life circumstances? Hint: it’s a lot. Read the gospels and you’ll see it jumping off of the pages. From healing to safety, Jesus mentioned faith (or a need for faith) while addressing various life issues. It’s not magic, nor is it a great mystery; faith is a gift from God which comes when we hear the Word of God. Remember when Peter walked on the water? He couldn’t stride the waves until the Living Word of God said, “Come.” Do you remember what made Peter sink? He was moved by the storm around him and he doubted. Don’t doubt, believe! Believe what God said and don’t be moved by anything else. How dare we doubt what God said?! I can’t even begin to write all that I’ve seen the Lord do when I stopped doubting and began believing. Miracles, small and large, it was naturally supernatural.

In summary:
Want what God wants.
Desire things for the right reasons.
Have faith.

There are many areas to discuss regarding prayer, these are but three of them. What have you learned regarding prayer? Please share with us below in the comments!

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