Impatience and Unanswered Prayers

Friend, I have become weary. I’ve been praying for something for more than half my life which, thus far, appears to have gone unanswered.

Over the years I’ve asked every Saint I could think of to intercede, I’ve tried to earn it by rooting out sin and striving for virtue, and I can’t tell you how many dating websites I’ve paid good money to help the Lord answer my prayer.

But still, nothing.

Now I know intellectually that God is faithful. That I am His beloved daughter. That I have a future full of hope because of Him. And I’ve received an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the Lord revealing His personal and powerful love for me. He has been such a good Father.

And yet . . .

Here is this seemingly unanswered prayer. So despite God’s eternal patience with me, I’ve become rather impatient with Him.

I don’t want to have to keep bothering the Lord with my same old situation. I truly believe He heard my prayer the first time I prayed it (and every time since) and I know Him well enough by now to know that I don’t have to beg.

So why does Jesus ask us to persevere in prayer? Why give us the example of the persistent widow who, quite frankly, seems to annoy the judge into submission rather than move his heart? (Luke 18:1-8).

But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on Earth?

We keep on praying, not to change God's mind, but to share the most vulnerable parts of our hearts with Him. To get to know Him for Who He really is and to be known by Him. Only then will we have the faith to believe that whatever comes, He is good and He loves us.

God isn’t an unjust judge, indifferent to our cries and concerns. He is all ears when it comes to your prayers and mine. He’s not waiting for a certain combination of words or just the right novena. He is not on the fence. He is listening and loving us all along. He’s only asking us to have faith.

God isn’t an unjust judge, indifferent to our cries and concerns. He is all ears when it comes to your prayers and mine.Click to tweet

Make the leap with me to have faith in the face of seemingly unheard and unanswered prayers, sisters. Let's leap into it together.

Beth Davis is a lover of Jesus, a recently retired youth minister, and the Director of Ministry Advancement for Blessed is She. She is passionate about teaching women how to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus and speaking hope to weary hearts. Her favorite things include being an aunt to her five fantastic niece and nephews, the Saint Name Generator, and whatever book she's currently reading. You can find out more about her here. She is the author of our Blessed Conversations: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit study found here.