You prayed for healing, for a relationship to be mended, for a door to open. You prayed hard and for a long time. And nothing changed, or things got worse. It is natural to wonder whether anyone is listening.
Jesus knew this too
On the night before he died, Jesus prayed that he might be spared the suffering ahead:
Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.
Luke 22:42
The cup was not taken away. Jesus went to the cross. Christians believe that through that prayer, God did something greater than Jesus’ friends could have imagined, but it did not feel that way at the time.
When the answer is no
Paul prayed repeatedly for God to take away something he called a “thorn in the flesh”. It stayed. Instead he heard this:
Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:8–9
That is not a tidy explanation, and it may not satisfy you. But it suggests that prayer is not only a way to get things. It is a relationship, and God’s presence can be real even when circumstances stay the same.
When you can’t find the words
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.
Romans 8:26
If you are tired of praying, you can tell God that too. Silence, tears and honest complaints are all prayers.
If you would like someone to pray with you, or to talk about your disappointment, we would be glad to.
