Why Doesn’t Prayer Work? A Look at Prayer From the Example Jesus Set by Wycliffe Bible Translators預覽

Give Us Today What We Need: So Why Doesn’t Prayer Work?

Prayer isn’t just talking to God from your own perspective. Prayer is also an opportunity for God to tell you what’s dear to His heart. You’re not here by chance; you’re not just some accident or coincidence; you’re part of a big story that your heavenly Father is writing across all of history.

But you don’t have the complete story, and you don’t know how it ends or what surprise characters you might encounter or the plot twists you might experience. Only God does. So while you may not understand why some prayers are answered the way you want and others aren’t, you can rest in the fact that God is with you. He just may not be responding in the way you hoped. And you’re not alone.

In the Book of Jeremiah, the people of Jerusalem were living in sin and going against God. The city needed change, but God knew their unwillingness. He specifically told Jeremiah the situation wasn’t going to pan out the way he wanted: “Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you” (Jeremiah 7:16, NLT).

On the other hand, there are times when God wants you to keep praying even though things may look impossible. In 1 Samuel, Hannah is longing for a child. She had prayed fervently for a son, pouring out her heart to God. She even prayed so incessantly when she was at the tabernacle that the priest thought she was drunk! Hannah kept praying until God answered her prayer and blessed her with a son. And she continued to pray even after her son Samuel was born.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (NLT).

No matter the outcome of your prayers, God’s heart is for you. He knows the rest of the story, so you can trust Him with His response. The next time you feel like a prayer has gone unanswered or ignored, remember that prayer doesn’t exist to work for you. Prayer is designed to work in you.

Questions for Reflection:

• Think of your favorite book, movie or TV show. Did the story end up how you expected? What plot twists stood out the most?
• How do you typically respond when it feels like your prayers have gone unanswered or ignored?
• Is there something you’ve been praying over for an extended period? If so, how are you trusting God with His response?