Phoning It In

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

— Philippians 4:6

Christ-followers enjoy a very special privilege: the ability to speak with God through prayer about their blessings, troubles, concerns … and everything else that’s going on in their lives. And it’s all possible through their faith in his Son, Jesus.

But there are times when even the most-seasoned Believer feels like their prayers go no higher than the bedroom ceiling. Instead of praying continually to their Creator with gratitude, they fall into a spiritual rut and simply phone it in. Indeed, prayer is a bit like a phone call. Sometimes the signal comes in loud and clear. But other times there’s just static … or the call doesn’t go through at all.

What’s the cause of these so-called dropped calls to God? 

First, we must ensure that the line is clear by dealing with any unconfessed sin in our lives. Likewise, if we’re carrying a grudge against someone, like a spouse or co-worker, it must be ironed out before we can expect God to listen to us. And our faith also plays a large role. If we pray but don’t think God has the power or desire to deal with our problems, why even ask in the first place?

But what happens when we pray sincerely and with good intentions, but our prayers still go unanswered? 

The fact is that God answers every prayer. It’s just that sometimes the answer is “no” or “not now.” As the Creator of all things past, present, and future, He knows the big picture — the perspective on the people, places, and circumstances that make all the difference to our situation. God also has a much better plan for us. And while it might not be what we think we want, it’s guaranteed to be what we need … and it’s always what we should be grateful for. As the apostle Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:16:

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.