Reasons why God doesn’t answer prayer (2)

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3 There are several reasons why God doesn’t answer prayer*. According to Ps. 66:18-19, one reason is if we are holding on to sin in our hearts. Another is here: if we ask with wrong motives. Prayer is like so many other activities that we can engage in. God doesn’t care how we do it or where we do it, He cares about why we are doing it. In Matt. 6:5-6 Jesus tells us that if we pray loud and long in order to be seen by other people, then we have already received our reward (being seen by people). Instead, if we want to be rewarded by God, we should pray discreetly and privately, locking ourselves in a closet if need be. I don’t know about you, but I’m constantly checking my motivations behind doing things. I find myself asking, ‘Why am I praying for this?’ Today’s verse tells us that if we pray selfishly, asking for things to please ourselves, we won’t receive. Yes, God wants to bless us, but He won’t give in to our every whim. He isn’t Santa Claus. When we pray, we should be seeking His will – because it’s the prayer prayed in accordance with His will that is answered (1 John 5:14). *See other posts here and here.