Why Is There Unanswered Prayer?


Psalm 116:1–4 (ESV) I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. 2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

 The writer of this Psalm was saved from a near death sickness by the Lord. He cried out, God heard and responded and healed him. It's a fairy tale story of sorts. It's the we all would love our sickness to end, with answered prayer and healing. 

 But why doesn't it always happen? 

 To answer that question, we should regard the second verse of this Psalm. The Psalmist makes an astounding vow before the Lord - to "call on Him as long as I live." He's healed. He could do anything now. He could "get on with life" on his terms and wait for heaven. That's what most do. If you don't believe me, look at the Gospels. Jesus once healed 10 lepers and only one came back to thank Him. Jesus healed thousands of people, yet only 120 were left on the day of Pentecost. 

 The fact is we forget God's gracious acts on our behalf. We call out, we cry to Him, and if we really paid attention we'd see not just get answers we'd respond to them in praise and dedication. But the problem is too many of people simply want relief, not God.

 This Psalmist isn't one of those. He wants God! He speaks to Himself that God is His Lord and deliverer.

Psalm 116:7–9 (ESV) Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; 9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

He's at ease in his healing. But more importantly, His life is now committed to the Lord's plan and purpose. He commits in writing:
Psalm 116:12–14 (ESV) What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? 13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

 Even more, he's committed till death:
Psalm 116:15–16 (ESV) 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. 16 O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.

When we don't see God answer prayers I wonder if we ever saw answered prayers from His perspective. Often they are forgotten and He is forsaken. Many prayers get answered and many lives later go astray because they seek the gift and not the Giver.

 Let's not be like that. Let's put it in writing. I AM YOUR SERVANT, LORD.

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