Growing up most parents tell their kids that God hears every prayer. When it comes to prayers, you seemingly just “throw” one out there and the “Big Guy upstairs” will put it on the list.
Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, the one-liner that God hears every prayer is a lie found nowhere in the Bible. In fact, there are over a dozen examples of people and prayers that God completely ignores.
Here are 8 that can help you think deeply about your own prayer life:
1: You ignore the poor.
Proverbs 21:13 says, “One whoshuts his ear to the outcry of the poor will also call out himself, and not beanswered.” In no uncertain terms, God takes our care of the poor very seriously. Are you knowingly and pompously ignoring the cries of the needy? Your prayer life could suffer.
2: You doubt that God can give you wisdom.
James 1:5-7 is one of the only passages in the New Testament that actually does say that faith can get you what you want, as long as wisdom is what you want. James writes,
“But if any of youlacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, andit will be given to him.But he mustask in faithwithout any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea,driven and tossed by the wind.For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,”
When asking God for wisdom, doubt can get in the way of you receiving an answer.
3: You’re being prideful.
James 4:6 shows the opposition of God when the proud refuse to be humble saying, “ButHe gives a greater grace. Thereforeitsays, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Pride is the antithesis of a thriving prayer life.
4: You are unjustly violent.
Isaiah 1:15 records the word of the Lord regarding unjust violence saying, “So when youspread out your handsin prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though youoffer many prayers, I will not be listening. Your hands are covered with blood.”
That is the God of the Bible, purposely ignoring prayers.
5: You’re insensitive to your wife.
1 Peter 3:7 is one of the most frightening passages for husbands as it speaks of the consequences of dishonoring your wife saying, “You husbands in the same way, live withyour wivesin an understanding way, as withsomeone weaker,since she isa woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”
When a husband is not showing honor to his wife, his prayers are bouncing right back down off the ceiling.
6: You have selfish motives.
James 4:3 says, “You ask anddo not receive, because you askwith the wrong motives, so that you may spendwhat you requeston your pleasures.”
The wrong motives can impact your prayer life in such a way that God doesn’t give you what you’re asking for, no matter how much you beg.
7: You love your sin so much.
Psalm 66:18 says, “If Iregard wickedness in my heart, TheLord will not hear…”
The Psalmist knew that God does not tolerate wickedness as His roommate in the human heart.
8: You mistreat God’s people.
Micah 3:2-5 is a passage containing vivid imagery of what God thinks of those who mistreat His people, including false prophets and leaders. When you mess with God’s precious saints, He does not hear you even when you cry out. The prophet Micah warned:
Pray Like King David
How do you make sure God is hearing your prayers? Repent, confess, be humble, and He will hear you. Read Psalm 51 and see how David prayed after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband. Even after all that sin, God heard his prayer because he came to God with a humble heart.
May we all do the same.
