by Trisha Bridges Smith
Prayer is such an important part of our Christian walk. It is the communication link between us and God. It is our way of talking directly to our Lord and seeking Him. Through prayer we intercede for others, we make petition for ouselves, and we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. It is through our prayers that we show our dependence on God as we admit that we are weak and need Him to be our strength.
But what happens when you pray and don’t receive an answer? Does that mean God is ignoring you? Does that mean your prayers are not being answered?
Sadly, many think that if you pray you will receive. I have seen family members and friends fall into this lie. I have seen people hurt deeply by this teaching, thinking that if they had only prayed harder or prayed more they could have changed the outcome of events such as death. Many think that God is like a magic genie. You pray and POOF, He answers. But that is untrue. God will answer prayers regardless. But we have to understand that His answers may not be to our liking. That does not mean He didn’t answer our prayers though. He just didn’t give us the answer we wanted.
God will answer all of our prayers. We just need to learn that oftentimes our prayer requests may not be according to God’s will for our lives. I know that I have prayed numerous times about dating situations and my future…. Had God answered those prayers I would have had many different husbands. I look back now and see that His will was different and He answered my prayers by not opening those doors, but closing them because He had a better plan for me, a spouse He handcrafted to my needs.
So what do you do when you feel God is not answering your prayers? The answer is simple. Keep praying. Wait on God. He has a plan. Trust in Him to be at work. And learn to accept that you won’t always get your way. Prayer is an amazing tool, ready and available for you at any time you need it. You have a direct line to God anytime of the day and any place. Just use it. Pray and wait on God. Pray for His will, not your own. He will answer. Trust Him.
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