Prayer Impediments

More than a few have compained that prayer is difficult. Oh, not simply doing it, so much as accomplishing it. I mean, too often it feels like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, so to speak. It feels like we don't get a lot of answered prayers. Now, there are likely more than a few answers to that dilemma, but, according to Peter, if a husband refuses to live with his wife in an understanding way or honor her as a fellow heir of the grace of life, it will hinder his prayers (1 Peter 3:7). If something we do can hinder our prayers, wouldn't be a good idea to at least eliminate that problem?

So we have that situation with husbands and their wives. What else is there? Well, one obvious one is faith. James wrote that we could ask God for wisdom, but we need to ask in faith (James 1:5-6). If we don't, he says, "That man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:7). Asking God for things you don't believe He'll give is crazy -- James calls it "double-minded" (James 1:8). What else? The psalmist wrote, "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psa 66:18). How are you doing with that? Now couple that with, "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions" (Mark 11:25-26). In this case, you are praying while refusing to forgive, which, apparently, is in the category of regarding wickedness in your heart. I don't suppose we should expect a good outcome in that case, either. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering" (Matt 5:23-24). This isn't the same as failing to forgive. This is when you know someone else has something against you. Make it right ... posthaste.

We do tend to wrestle with what appears to be unanswered prayers sometimes, but I have to wonder how many times the lack of hoped-for answers is in our own hands. Fellow believers, do you believe God can and will supply what you ask? Check your faith. Husbands, are you rightly relating to your wives? That's on you. Sin is a violation of relationships, either with God or with our fellow human beings. Are you correcting that? Are you forgiving those who have wronged you while making amends with those you have wronged? These things are yours to manage, not shortcomings with God. Odd, isn't it, how much we simply ignore these kinds of things and complain about God's lack of answers.