Conversations with God

 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

– Psalm 139:23

Christ-followers enjoy many special privileges, and one of the greatest is the ability to approach God in prayer about our blessings, troubles, concerns, and everything else that’s going on in our lives. Prayer is a give-and-take conversation. And it’s all possible through our faith in his Son, Jesus.

But this raises an important question: If we have such a special relationship with our Creator, why is it that some of our prayers go unanswered? After all, there are times when even the most seasoned Christ-follower feels like their petitions go no higher than the bedroom ceiling.

Let’s keep in mind that prayer is a bit like a phone call. Sometimes the message comes through loud and clear — as if the other person is in the next room. But sometimes there’s static or no one picks up the call. So, what's the problem? 

First, we need to ensure that the line is clear by dealing with any unconfessed sin in our lives. After all, the One who created us is already aware of our every thought and deed. Likewise, if we’re carrying a grudge against someone — like a spouse or co-worker — it needs to be ironed out before we can expect God to listen to us. And faith also plays a big part in the equation. If we pray but don’t think God has the power or desire to deal with our issues, why even ask in the first place?

What about those occasions when we pray sincerely and with good intentions, but our prayers still go unanswered? The short answer is that God does respond to every one of them. But sometimes his response is “no” or “not now.” As the Creator of all things past, present, and future, he knows the big picture — those people, places, and circumstances that make all the difference to our situation. And although it's not always apparent to us at the time, God's plans for us are always the best. He knows that it’s not always what we want that matters, but ultimately it's all about what we need.