Unanswered prayers? I have some too.

First I have to apologise for going AWOL, I am truly sorry about that. I have been putting this together since Thursday though, but somehow, I didn't get to finish it.

So now, to our message for today; Have you ever felt like God is no longer interested in answering your prayers or has some more important things to deal with than your personal needs? Do you ever feel there’s no point praying because the prayers you said earlier had no effect whatsoever? Well, you are not alone on this, i've felt these ways too.

I woke up on Thursday mroning feeling so down, this was completely out of place as I had just one more day before my much talked about vacation began. Then I remembered how I was yet to receive answers to my prayer requests (the two I’ve had for over two years now), I immediately rebuked the devil but as we all know, the “opposer” doesn’t give up easily. As soon as i read one of my daily devotionals for the day, which was about how God gives good gifts to those who ask (Matthew 7: 11), I remembered how God was yet to give me these ‘good gifts’ I have been asking Him. Then I read my second devotional (I normally read two of them) and this was also reminding me that the Almighty God hears me when I pray.

That did it, I sat down and thought to myself, why has God not answered these my prayers?  My devotional time for that day was quite different from what I used to do, instead of kneeling down with my head bowed and eyes closed like I normally do, I sat down and talked to God like He was sitting right in front of me, I reminded Him how He told me to "call to Him, and He would answer me, and show me great and mighty things that I do not know" Jeremiah 33: 3, how He is my gold and precious silver, so why has He not answered my prayers? (Job 22: 25 - 28), how I try as best to obey His commands, so why does it seem His ears are not open to my prayers like 1 Peter 3: 12 says? How my parents have been serving Him even before I was born, so when will that verse that says "we are for signs and wonders" (Isaiah 8: 18) come true in our lives? How the Bible says I should ask and I will receive (Matthew 7: 7 -11, Luke 11: 9 - 13),  so why was I yet to receive those two things I have been asking for over two years now? Do not get me wrong, I have no doubts whatsoever that God answers prayers neither was I questioning Him, I was just having a one-on-one discussion with “my Father” and wanted to know why these prayers were not answered as I am convinced they are part of God’s plans for me.

As God would have it, He gave me answers to my questions before that day ended, during my blog round, I read about a man who was contemplating on taking his own life because he felt God doesn’t answer his prayers anymore, and I found myself sending a message of faith and encouragement to this person I have never met, one special thing about it though is that God used this opportunity to speak to me too, I got reassured (in trying to assure someone), that God is still in the business of answering prayers, and faith in Him also means faith in His timing. All I just have to do is “cast my cares upon Him and He will sustain me” Psalm 55: 22 knowing that "when He has tried me, I will come forth as gold". Job 23: 10.

While saying my prayers that night, I casted my mind back and counted my blessings, I rememebered how God always shows Himself strong for me, I remembered a song I learnt many years ago (Alleluyah anyhow, I’ll never let my trials get me down, whatever problems life may bring, i’ll hold my head up high singing Alleluyah anyhow). The fact that some Liberians who had just gone through the terrible experience of war taught my family this song made me thank God much more, I thanked Him because though, I don’t have answers to my two prayer requests yet, I have the assurance that He is greater than all my trials and I am certain that He cannot forget me. Infact, I am inscribed on the palms of the Almighty's hand and that is worth rejoicing over because that means I am continually before Him. Isaiah 49: 14 – 16. So by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving I will keep asking (Philippians 4:6) in His name till my joy is full (John 16:24) and I implore that you keep doing that too. Someday, we will look back and realise that the answers to our prayers came at the very right time, like I read sometime ago, God always shows up on time.

I leave you with these words from Stormie Omartian, one of my favorite authors. “Don’t give place to impatience, seeing answers to your prayers can take time, be patient to persevere and wait. Look to God as the source of all you want to happen and don’t worry about how it will happen. It’s your responsibility to pray, it’s God job to answer. Leave it in His hands” and wait on the Lord, don't lose heart but believe that you would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living (Psalm 27: 13 - 14)