How Do I Pray? (Part 4)
Now that we have examined both the Lord’s Prayer and the common practical elements of prayer, let’s do some troubleshooting. For instance, there may be occasions when our prayers seem to go unanswered or unnoticed by God. This experience is often described in terms of our prayers hitting the ceiling. That is, our prayers are buoyant but don’t appear to reach heaven due to some unseen lid.
We may also experience occasions when we know God has heard us, but God has firmly told us to wait. But for how long? And what about those times when God seems to be punishing us? Can God hear us in the dark times?
Prayer difficulties are nothing new. If you experience a problem in your prayer discipline, you can rest assured that either someone in the Bible dealt with the same thing or the Bible gives guidance on your difficulty. In fact, let’s go through a few biblical examples that may help you in case you’re feeling stuck in prayer or are experiencing some of the issues already described.
What to do when your prayers “hit the ceiling”
- Read and pray the Psalms. Many of the Psalms bluntly address God as though he had turned a deaf ear to the one praying. The psalmists will even ask God how long they must wait for an answer, and they also emotionally cry out for guidance. These prayers are in the Bible for a reason! You are encouraged to make these Psalms into your own prayers. Read them and pray them aloud to God.
- Remember that the devil will try to convince you that God is not listening to you. The Bible reminds us constantly, however, that God is always present and attentive. The Lord Jesus makes intercession for us. The Holy Spirit can even interpret our prayerful groans when words fail us. Even if you feel stuck in prayer, it doesn’t mean that God has abandoned you. His promises are always true. Keep in mind that when Jesus felt abandoned on the cross, God was doing his utmost saving work!
What to do when God tells us to wait
- Depend on the Holy Spirit for patience. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is patience. Keep in mind, however, that we don’t drum up patience on our own. No one is capable of such a feat. Patience develops and matures as we abide in God. Perhaps when God says, “Wait,” this is an opportunity to dive headlong into the Scripture and to pray for patience and wisdom. God promises to heap wisdom and maturity into our souls when we ask him for such things.
- God’s grace will always be sufficient for every need. Paul the Apostle prayed exhaustively for God to remove a “thorn in the flesh” from him. When the prayer wasn’t answered in Paul’s preferred way, God promised to give Paul the necessary amount of grace to live effectively with the problem. Sometimes we will not get what we want in prayer, but God will never leave nor abandon us. His grace is enough.
- Sometimes the waiting is for a greater purpose in God’s will. We often hear about the patience of Job, for example. Yet, the great truth of Job’s story is not really about his ability to trust God as much as it is about God’s transcendent power. Our minds simply cannot process all the ways and methods of God. Things may not make sense to us right now, but we can know that God is sometimes playing the long game. His love will make the difference.
What to do when it seems like God is punishing you
- There is no scriptural evidence to suggest that God punishes someone by refusing to listen to their prayers or cries for mercy. Some of Jesus’ parables clearly indicate that the one who cries to the Lord finds peace and justification, while the one who seems to “have it all together” can only receive the applause of men.
- God does discipline us. We may confuse punishment with discipline. Just as our children can scoff at us for disciplining them, we may do the same to God. All the way, God knows that his discipline is loving and for our good. Remember, however, that God’s discipline will not be for our ruin. The devil is the one who steals, kills, and destroys. Charles Spurgeon said that no matter how low you go that God’s hands can get underneath you.