Prayer is an essential part of our faith and walk with God as Christians. It is how we communicate with God and interact with spiritual realities. Through prayer, we also express our fears, concerns, thoughts, and weakness to God and, in return, receive strength, help, and directions. However, it can be discouraging to pray and not receive answers to the prayers made. As a result, most Christians wonder if it is necessary to keep praying even without receiving responses.
You should keep praying even when there is no answer because prayer is the only medium through which we can talk to God. You should also keep praying because God instructs us to. When you pray and do not receive answers, it does not mean that God is wicked or has stopped loving you. There may be some reasons as to why such may happen. As depressing as such may be, Christians are expected to keep praying regardless of how hard it may seem.
Why Do Our Prayers Sometimes Go Unanswered?
God is a faithful God who cannot lie, and His words cannot fail. He promised in Matthew 7:7 that if we ask, we would receive. However, sometimes we pray and make requests and do not get answers. One reason is that you may be praying with certain unconfessed sins in your heart. The Bible upholds God’s standpoint in Psalms 3:12, which declares that although God will watch over those who do right and hear their prayers, He will turn his face away from evil-doers. So the next time you do not get answers to prayers, it may be because of some hidden sin in your life.
Another reason for unanswered prayers is praying amiss and outside the will of God. God has a good and perfect plan for us which He would want us to live and walk in. So when we pray outside this plan and ask for things not in His will, He will intentionally withhold them as they may not be necessary for us at the time. Also, when you pray with doubts in your heart, you may never get an answer to that prayer. In James 1:5-8, the Bible encourages us to ask for wisdom, but when we do so, our faith in Him being able to give us should be definite and unwavering. This applies to all aspects of our lives, as doubts can hinder the manifestation of God’s power in our lives.
Furthermore, God will likely not answer your prayers when you pray for the wrong reasons and ask with the wrong motives. God searches the heart and motives of every man, and when He sees that your heart is fixed on the wrong reasons, He will leave such requests unanswered. Finally, praying to God without having a relationship with Him is like pouring water on a rock and expecting it to break. God cannot honor the requests of someone He doesn’t know and recognize as His. So when you do not get answers to your prayers, you probably need to check your relationship with God.
Why Keep Praying When There Is No Answer?
Sometimes, not getting answers to your prayers may not be entirely terrible. But even in that discouraging state, we as Christians should not stop praying, and there are reasons for that. First, you should keep praying even when there is no answer because it is God’s commandment and instruction to us. In Thessalonians 5:17, Apostle Paul expressly commands us to pray without ceasing. Praying without ceasing means continuous prayer regardless of whether or not you receive answers. This is the first step in developing a consistent prayer life essential to your walk and growth in Christ.
Another reason why you should pray even without answers is that prayer is much more than an avenue for making requests or presenting supplications. Prayer is a two-way communication with God essential in our walk with Him. In the place of prayer, God works on your heart, aligns you with His will, and allows you to grow in intimacy and knowledge of Him. So when you pray without answers, it conveys your recognition of God as more than just a provider and a giver of gifts but also as your lover and friend.
Also, when your prayers go unanswered, it is an opportunity to re-examine your motive and your level of sincerity with God. James 4:3 declares,
“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
A motive that is wrong with God can hinder answers to our prayers, so praying, even without answers, will help you carry out the necessary heart check for your walk with God.
Finally, a season of unanswered prayer can sometimes be a time of preparation, pruning, and testing. We see this in James 1:2-4 which says,
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
In such a season, praying without seeing answers or results would help build strength, patience, and trust in God. So your heart is fixed on God and not on the things you can get from or what He can do for you.
How Can You Pray Consistently?
Praying consistently begins with recognizing that prayer transcends making requests and asking for your daily bread. Prayer is a necessity to walk in the will and the purpose of God. Knowing this lets you easily see the need to pray and helps you become more interested. Also, you can develop your prayer life by setting aside a dedicated time or hour for prayers and meditation. It would also help if you could dedicate a particular area to praying while keeping a prayer journal.
You can also have a consistent prayer life by praying consistently throughout the day, as it keeps your mind focused on God and away from fleshly lusts. While praying consistently, try to cover the different types of prayers and not limit yourself to a single pattern. To this end, Jesus in Matthew 6:9 gives us the Lord’s Prayer as a model to guide our prayer life.
Be a part of a community where prayer takes place, as the effect of community gathering cannot be undermined in developing a consistent prayer life. Being around people who are intentional about prayer would push you into doing the same.
Final Thoughts
Nothing is more discouraging to a Christian than praying without getting answers from God. It can present a form of weakness and might even shake a believer’s faith. Certain factors may be responsible for unanswered prayers, which include praying outside the will of God, praying with hidden sin, and praying for the wrong reasons.
However, even when we do not get answers to prayers, the Bible encourages us to keep praying as prayer is a commandment and an instruction of God. Praying without answers helps our relationship with God become more grounded as we are not only concerned with our needs when interacting with Him. Finally, when you pray and do not get answers, it helps us fix your heart solely on God, His will, and purpose.
