James 4:3

Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers?

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You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  James 4:3

If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, you’ve probably asked at some point, “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?”  If you’ve ever felt that way, you are not alone.  In fact, the Bible is filled with accounts of people who questioned God’s silence.

The thought of God not answering your prayers may bother you, but I believe there are often specific reasons why God is silent.  Sometimes it’s because of our own sinful choices.  The most obvious obstacle that could prevent my prayers from being heard is my own disobedience.  The psalmist made this very clear when he wrote, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18).

There are also times when God is silent because our prayers are selfish or trivial.  He may not answer simply because our prayers aren’t very good ones.  James warned against these kinds of prayers when he wrote, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

Of course, sometimes God is silent for reasons we’ll never know.  It’s in those instances that we must wait, trust, and believe.  

However, with all that said, I think that God’s question for us might be, “Why don’t you pray more?”  After all, God is far more justified in complaining about our absence than we are in complaining about His! *

Heavenly Father, please help me learn how to pray.  May I be more concerned about Your will than my own.  I know You truly know best.  Help me to trust You as I pray!  Amen.


*Jerry Walls, Warner Robins, GA