The
fact that our prayers can be hindered came as a surprise to me. We ask and do
not receive because we ask for the wrong reasons and motives (James 4:3). Another
factor is that we are not asking according to the will of God, because we are
walking in disobedience to God.
Additionally,
another hindrance to our prayers is harboring unforgiveness in our heart toward
someone. Satan would love for our woundedness to develop into bitterness; and
therefore, to defile our whole house (Hebrews 12:14-16). He wants us to curse
God and die (Job 2:9).
Forgiveness
does not mean that we never think about the offense again, or that the memory
does not trigger negative emotions in our soul. Human beings can forgive with
God's help, but it is impossible to forget the violation imposed on us by
someone else's words and deeds.
Forgiveness
is a choice, a mental decision to obey the Lord and to allow His love in us to
flow through us to the one who offended, discarded, disappointed or hurt us.
God does not call us to "like" the person, but He does expect us to
show kindness and compassion for them.
Praying
"Your will be done" is the prayer that never fails, especially when
it is coupled with a healthy dose of thanksgiving (Matthew 26:36-39). God
answers all of our prayers with a "yes," "no," or
"wait". His perfect will and timing are crucial for our fulfillment.
God
wants us to love Him even if He does not answer us in the way that we want and
expect. He promises to deliver us through our troubles and to make us a testimony
for the world to see His goodness in our life - just like the three Hebrew
children in the fiery furnace.
Prayer:
Father
God, You want our faith to grow and You want us to love You more than we
cherish the answers to our prayers. Therefore, You withhold Your response to
our prayers sometimes, in order for us to learn perseverance in prayer. Jesus
teaches us the importance of persisting in prayer, like the example Your Word
gives us in Luke 18.
Remind
us that if our prayers are not answered, we can examine our heart, and ask You
to show us the truth about our attitude and beliefs. Getting our heart right
with You leads us back to sweet communion with You, and to more answered prayers
as we persevere through satanic discouragement, circumstantial evidence, and
personal fears and insecurities.
Thought
for the Day:
By
faith, we can believe that God will deliver us through every trial and negative
circumstance, because He promised that He would - maybe not in our timing but
in His own will and way, because He uses our trials to allow patience to have
her perfecting work in us, to strengthen our faith, and to further His Kingdom
in the earth as we pray in Jesus’ name.
-
Psalm 34:7, 17, 19; James 1:4-8
