Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?
Here’s a scenario: Your 10 year old daughter has been hit by a car and is in critical condition. You pray for her life; your church prays for her healing. But she dies two days later. You are hurt and disappointed with God. After all, she was a good kid. She didn’t have to die. It wasn’t her fault. Why didn’t God answer your prayers? Where was He, and why didn’t He heal her? Is God even there? Does He care? God feels so very far away.
The writer of Psalm 77 had some serious hurt and pain. The writers name was Asaph. Read what he was feeling.
I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. 77:1-2
Asaph does not tell us the source of his pain, but we know he was in great distress. He feels that God has left him and he is very much alone.
Will the Lord reject forever? Will He never show his favor again? Has His unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? 77:7-8
Then Asaph does something that most people never think of. He puts aside the pain, the disappointment and the hurt. He stops and rethinks the situation; Asaph decides to think about the greatness of the God he loves.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 77:12-14
Asaph thought that prayer would solve his problem, take away the hurt. Prayer was never designed for that purpose. God designed prayer as an instrument of intimacy between Him and us. Before you pray, meditate on God, think on who God is, His holiness, His love for us. Focus on God Himself before you focus on what you want God to do. When we pray before meditating we put ourselves at the center of our prayers: I’m in trouble! I’m in pain! Sometimes we think we are in charge, not almighty God. We need to meditate on Bible passages that speak to us about God and who He is. Read this last statement very carefully… We need to allow God to be God and trust Him for the outcome of our lives, whether good or bad.