Why Can’t We Feel the Lord’s Response to Our Prayers? —An Analysis of Three Wrong Ways to Pray

1. Formalistic and Deceptive Prayers

Do you ever find yourself praying like this: “Oh God, I am willing to offer myself to You,” “Oh God, I am willing to spend my entire life for You,” “Oh God, I will never leave You,” or “Oh God, I am willing to satisfy You in all things”? But in reality, after we pray, we don’t follow through on these words, nor do we do a single thing to satisfy God. When our own fleshly interests are involved, we can’t help but choose to satisfy ourselves instead. Therefore, this is a lying and deceptive prayer—a prayer that is merely going through the motions. It is written in the Bible: “This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9). God is a faithful God. He delights in honest people and detests our falsehood, deception, and pretense. Therefore, formalistic and deceptive prayers are not heard by God at all.

2. Prayers That Seek Grace and Material Possessions
Many people pray to God every day for their own fleshly interests. For instance, some ask God to help them find a good job; some ask God to keep them healthy, free from illness and disaster; some ask God for a loving marriage and a harmonious family; and others ask God to help their children get into a good university. But are these prayers truly in accordance with God’s intentions? The Bible says, “You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your lusts” (James 4:3). God scrutinizes our hearts. If we pray with selfish and greedy intentions, using God to fulfill our own desires and satisfy our fleshly pleasures, how could God possibly listen to such prayers? The Lord Jesus says, “Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33). The Lord’s words are very clear: We should not pray and ask for the things of the flesh, because God knows what our bodies lack and will provide for us through various means. Therefore, when we pray, we must first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness. That is to say, we should pray to gain the truth and life, and pray for the fulfillment of God’s will. Only this kind of prayer is in accordance with God’s intentions.

3. Unreasonable Prayers That Make Demands of God
When their families are peaceful and they are accompanied by God’s blessings and grace, many people often thank and praise God in their prayers. However, as soon as they encounter natural or man-made disasters, or face trials and refinement, they are quick to complain against and judge God. For example, some might pray, “Oh God, I have toiled and suffered so much for You, working from dawn till dusk, and I have never abandoned my duties. But why haven’t You kept my family safe and sound? Has my expenditure for You not been enough?” Consequently, they become negative and slack off, and some even betray God and leave Him. From such a prayer, we can see that this is not worshiping God from the position of a created being. Instead, it is unreasonably making demands of God and trying to strike a deal with Him—they always want Him to satisfy their personal interests and selfish desires, without a trace of conscience or reason. How could God possibly listen to such a prayer? God is the Creator, and we are created beings. No matter what trials or tribulations we face, or how much our flesh suffers, we should stand in the position of a created being and pray with a pious and submissive attitude only to seek God’s intentions and to stand firm in our testimony and satisfy Him, rather than to make any demands of Him.