Posted on 11/06/2017 5:32:47 AM PST by Gamecock
Sometimes we all feel as if our prayers lack the power to penetrate our ceilings. It seems as though our petitions fall on deaf ears and God remains unmoved or unconcerned about our passionate pleading. Why do these feelings haunt us?
There are several reasons why we are sometimes frustrated in prayer. One is that our expectations are unrealistic. This, perhaps more than any other factor, leads to a frustration in prayer. We make the common mistake of taking statements of Jesus in isolation from other biblical aspects of teaching in prayer, and we blow these few statements out of proportion.
We hear Jesus say that if two Christians agree on anything and ask, it shall be given to them. Jesus made that statement to men who had been deeply trained in the art of prayer, men who already knew the qualifications of this generalization. Yet in a simplistic way we interpret the statement absolutely. We assume the promise covers every conceivable petition without reservation or qualification. Think of it. Would it be difficult to find two Christians who would agree that to end all wars and human conflict would be a good idea? Obviously not. Yet if two Christians agreed to pray for the cessation of war and conflict, would God grant their petition? Not unless He planned to revise the New Testament and its teaching about the future of human conflict.
Prayer is not magic. God is not a celestial bellhop at our beck and call to satisfy our every whim. In some cases, our prayers must involve the travail of the soul and agony of heart, such as Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. Sometimes young Christians have been bitterly disappointed in “unanswered” prayers, not because God failed to keep His promises, but because well-meaning Christians made promises “for” God that God never authorized.
Coram Deo
Do you have unrealistic expectations that account for seemingly unanswered prayers? Are you treating God like a celestial bellhop?
Passages for Further Study
Psalm 102:17 he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. 18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
Ping
All prayers are answered. Sometimes the answer is “No”, and while the reasons are not immediately apparent to the petitioner, over time, the wisdom of the Deity shall prevail in the end.
The Universe can be a cruel and unforgiving place, if taken at face value. Patience and application of accumulated experience can find those tiny crevices and indentations on what may appear to be a sheer rock face, and what seemed an insurmountable obstacle may eventually be overcome.
I run into this issue with some word of faith acquaintances who use this verse to try to manipulate God into doing what they want.
So they name it and claim it and do not really know how to deal with it when someone isn’t healed or delivered from debt they incurred by being financially irresponsible.
They also claim that it’s God’s will for us to be healthy and healed cause after all, God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven and nobdy is sick in heaven. Right?
So when the healing doesn’t happen, then the blame game starts with the person not healed. It puts a lot of responsibility on the person for the outcome of GOD’S work and opens the floodgates for guilt and condemnation.
Yes, the major problem is other Christians deciding for God and others what God’s will is for their lives and how God should be (in their opinion) responding, instead of letting God be God.
and that is why we are taught to pray, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Now how is God’s will done in heaven? I like to think he points and grunts (man perspective) and we are so in tune that we understand...............
Jesus never promised health, wealth, and prosperity.
He promised that in this world, we would have tribulation, but to be of good cheer anyways because HE has overcome the world.
Matthew 6:6
Which says what?
Do you think everyone has the entire Bible memorized by reference?
It’s not so hard to post the verse itself so that others don’t have to waste their time looking it up. It’s a matter of courtesy.
That is the second time you have complained about the difficulty in looking up verses in the Bible! You don’t actually have a Bible, do you?!!!
You should really try reading it, over and over again. It leads to a more balanced walk with Jesus.
Freepmail me your address and I will send a Bible to you.
It’s courtesy to post the verse with the reference.
And not that hard. I do it all the time. You can check my posting history to verify it.
Well, it is hard to cut and paste on my iPhone. I have several Bibles on my iPhone, and the Word of Promise App so I can listen to Stacy Keech read Paul and Job. That is how I know that there are promises of earthly rewards, health and wealth in the Bible.
The other thing about just giving someone who in not really familiar with the Bible a reference is that it gives the Holy Spirit a chance to point out something else that that person needs to hear.
So this time, you go look up Matthew 6:6. Maybe there is also a message near by for you.
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