Doesn’t God Hear my Prayers?

God lives and works today, but haven't we all asked ourselves at times, doesn't God hear my prayers? God seems to keep silent, and we see no way out of our problems. Listen to the helpful answer in today's meditation by Basilea Schlink. Perhaps you've been bringing God a personal prayer concern for a long time, or you've asked Him to solve the problems of someone you love.

But God really doesn't seem to answer. Why? One day God answered my, why don't you hear me? He had a question for me, and I couldn't evade His question, for He asked, isn't there some obstacle in your prayer life? Then He showed me that there was a sin which I hadn't been aware of, which was standing in the way. In this case it was judging and bitterness, and that's why the Lord had not been able to answer my prayer.

For through the prophet Isaiah, chapter 59, verses 1 and 2, he tells us, His ear is not dull that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, so that He does not hear. So first of all we must be brave enough to accept a clear diagnosis. Are there prayer obstacles in our lives, and if so, which ones? The Bible shows us that such obstacles to prayer are sins like not wanting to forgive, anger, quarreling, irreconciliation, all sensuality and gratification of our passions, occultism, and disobedience.

But there's one thing that's a real comfort and important to remember. Our whole sinful nature doesn't constitute an obstacle to prayer. If that were the case, God could never answer any prayers.

But if we come to Jesus at the cross and confess our guilt, then God can be gracious to us again and answer our prayers. We've experienced this time and again in our sisterhood. For example, once in our print shop, for no explainable reason, one of the presses suddenly broke down.

And after the print shop sisters prayed about it and were reconciled with each other, God's ears were opened again, and the printing press began to function once more, just as mysteriously as it had stopped working. If we persevere in our prayers, humbly as reconciled sinners, then we may know that there are actually no unanswered prayers. God will hear them all.

We just have to leave it up to Him to decide how and when He will answer them. He alone knows what is best for us and our loved ones. He heals all clouds and fire, He's ready help, He's mercy kind, Through His own Son our sake He sways, His love and care brings Him all praise, He holds fast His promised word.

You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website www.canaan.org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet. If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address.

God bless you.