Sincerely I prayed – But nothing.
Unanswered prayer is the greatest challenge to our faith, no matter how long we have believed. Not matter how strong our faith.
Why would an all-powerful, all-loving God encourage us to ask Him for what we want, if not to answer our prayers. But then sometimes, when we ask in all sincerity and with the purist of motives, our prayers are not answered. We put ourselves out there, we beg and plead with a God who can do all things, and yet it seems as if the words have just disappeared into nothingness. As if God has not heard at all.
Why does He want us to pray if He’s not going to answer anyway?
When we are faced with unanswered prayers, we generally two reactions; we either try harder or we get angry at God for not listening.
Unfortunately getting angry with God, leads us into a sad and lonely dead end.
I am sure that we have all experienced those desperate nights when we just cannot find sleep. We pray at first calmly and then as our anxiety grows we begin to beg and when we are still awake in the dead of night our emotions give way to anger and we begin to spew at God – ‘Why won’t you help me get to sleep?’ ‘Don’t you love me?’
Psalm 127
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
2 It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.3 Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
The Bible tells us that you give sleep to those you love!
When our anxiety has run wild and we have run out of ways of asking and options of what to do, anger and blame give us the illusion of control.
But are we really in control? Is our anger helping us in any way? Is it helping us find sleep – or the other answers that we may be seeking?
Being anger is not a helpful response to God, when our prayers aren’t being answered the way we’d hoped.
How about trying a different response. How about zooming out taking a glimpse of the larger story. How about getting a God perspective on a human problem.
Every day, there is an epic battle being waged for our hearts. The enemy of our soul has an entire arsenal at his disposal, but his go-to weapon is doubt. Adam and Eve didn’t disobey because they craved the apple. They disobeyed because they fell for the serpent’s ruse that God was withholding good things from them.
If you ever find yourself doubting God’s love or questioning His character – push back—hold on to what you know is true.
God is love. God is unchanging. God is all-powerful. God is full of compassion. Let your anger and anxiety give way to these truths. Let God’s peace wash over you. Do not let the enemy win by giving way to doubt.
Turning you anger or frustration to praise, also help defuse our despair. Expressing gratitude also helps to defuse our despair and suffering. Thank God for all the good He has done in your life. For all the blessings that He has given.
By turning our hearts to praise, we flip our disappointment on it’s head.
Praise is our greatest weapon against the work of the enemy.
Here is a beautiful explanation of how powerful our praises and prayers can be.
When an eagle catches it’s pray on the ground, it flies up high with it in it’s claws and then drops it and re-catches it and battles with it in a zone which is the eagles territory and where it is sure to win.
That is what we need to do with our doubts and disappointments and the worries that we bear. We need to take them into the zone where the enemy is powerless. Take them beyond this earthly domain and into the spiritual realm.
Throw them out in praise and prayer and let the angels conquer them in powerful warfare.
Praise will turn your discouragement and doubt into hope and a new song.
Praise the Lord for the glory of his name; worship the Lord because he is holy.
Psalm 29:2