Prayer. It can be one of the most amazing and wonderful things in the world, but how do you do it? And what if God isn’t answering my prayers? In this post, I am going to talk about what prayer is, how to pray, why God isn’t answering your prayers, and more.
Before we start, let me introduce myself. Hello! I’m Hailee, a high school blogger, jeweler, musician, and Christ follower! You can click here to learn more about me and my mission!
Let’s get started!
What is prayer?
The short answer is: Prayer is when you talk to God. It is one of the ways He talks to us, too. One of my most favorite things about prayer is that God is always ready and listening! He always has time for you and wants to hear what is on your mind.
The thing that I think all Christians sometimes need to be reminded of is that prayer is a conversation! If you are talking to a friend or family member, do you do all the talking or do you stop and listen to them as well? In addition to talking to God and telling him what is on our minds, we also need to stop and listen to what He has to say to us. Listening to God during prayer can help strengthen you, encourage you, and bring you peace.
How do I pray?
Whether you have been a Christian for years or are a newer believer, we can all pray the same. Like I said earlier, prayer is a conversation between you and God. You can pray out loud, in your head, with your eyes open or closed, hands folded, or at your side. It’s up to you!
You can sit and pray for over an hour, or just send up a quick “thank you” or even a “please help me!” to God in just five seconds! The Bible says that we don’t have to pray with many words, or in very ecstatic, booming voices. A few words to God can do the trick because God “knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)
If you want to pray, but don’t know where to get started, here is an easy template to follow when you are praying:
1. Honor/Worship God
First, just like Jesus did when He was teaching his disciples how to pray in Matthew 6, we need to honor God!
You could say something like “God you are so powerful and worthy of my praise” or “God, you made the Heavens and the earth. Thank you for making me, too” or anything else that comes to mind!
2. Thank God
This is the time when you can thank God for all of the blessings that He has given you. Even if you had a bit of a rough day and you don’t feel like being thankful (I have been there), you can still thank God for His love and forgiveness and for every day that He gives you here on earth. There is always something to be thankful for!
3. Repent!
If you don’t already know, repentance is when you ask God for forgiveness for your sin. As humans, we sin every day and need to constantly be forgiven by our gracious and merciful God. Thankfully, He always will forgive us. Every single time.
You could say that you are sorry for a specific sin that you committed, or you could just say “God, I’m sorry for all of my sins. Thank you for forgiving me.”
4. Express your concerns
I must admit, it is tempting to go straight to this step. I always just want to tell God what is bothering me and ask Him to fix it! It is your prayer, so it is up to you how you want to do things, but I try to honor God, thank Him, and then ask for forgiveness first because if I do it after I tell him my worries, I know that I may forget, or just get too caught up in my worries.
This is a time when you can tell God what happened in your day. Are you worried about an important test that you have coming up? Do you have concerns about your health? Financial issues? Whatever it may be, God doesn’t want you to worry about it! He wants to carry our burdens for us, which, to me, is such a relief!
Let God know what is on your mind. Ask Him for strength and perseverance to help you get through the trials. He is always ready to listen.
Why isn’t God answering my prayers?
I have to admit, it can be frustrating. Maybe you have been praying about something for a long time, but you just don’t seem to be getting a result. This has happened to me several times, but when you think that God isn’t answering your prayers, He probably has, it just may not have been the answer that you wanted.
Here are some common answers that God tends to give to us when we pray:
Yes!
Oh, don’t we all love it when we get this answer. Maybe you asked God to provide you with the money to get a new car, or to get an A on that math test. Whatever it may be, when God says yes, don’t forget to give Him a big “thank you” for whatever it is that He has blessed you with.
No
This can be a tough one. I have to admit, sometimes, it is beyond our knowledge to why God says know to certain things.
I have had it happen, where I ask for something small and simple. God can definitely provide that, right? Then He says no. I don’t get what I have asked for, and I feel frustrated and confused. What we have to remember is that, when God says no to one of our prayers, He has a very good reason.
God’s understanding and will for our lives far surpasses our own. Even if we think that we know what we want and what is good for us, God knows far better thank we ever could. We just have to trust that He knows that is best for us and He has an amazing plan for us.
In fact, one of my favorite verses, 1 Corinthians 2:9, says that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” God has a plan for us! We may never understand why he says no, but He has something unimaginable planned for those who love Him!
Not yet
Maybe you asked God for a well-paying job, or for a friend who will stick by your side, and it hasn’t happened yet. Or, maybe you have felt the Lord tell you that it isn’t quite time. Whatever the situation may be, sometimes God tells us that we have to wait.
In these instances, we have to remember, yet again, that God is planning something outstanding. When He tells us to be patient, maybe He wants to teach you something while you are waiting. Perhaps He wants you to learn to lean on Him; that He will provide for you.
No matter what answer God gives to our prayers, we can stand firm in the belief that He is a good and faithful God and that He always, always, takes care of His children.
10 verses about prayer
Lastly, friends, I want to share with you ten verses, straight from the Bible, that talk about prayer. My hope is that they impact your life and help you draw closer to God when you pray.
- This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14)
- Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:11)
- If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
- Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. (Jeremiah 29:12)
- And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
- Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. (James 5:13)
- But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44)
- “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
- The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. (Proverbs 15:8)
- The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18)
What do you think?
And that is all I have for you today! My prayer is that this post will reach those who need it and that you all will draw closer to God when you pray!
I have a challenge for you today. I encourage you to send this post to at least 3 people who you think need to talk to God and have Him in their life. Today, be an evangelist! Let me know if you completed this challenge by commenting on this post or by contacting me.
Also, let me know if you have a prayer request! Prayer is so powerful and we are called to pray together as the body of Christ!
Let me know if you enjoyed this post and if you would like to see more like it. I want your feedback!
Thanks again for reading this post! Don’t forget to shine bright and spread the light! Keep on praying!
Helpful Rescources
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