Have you ever felt as though your prayers were bouncing off of the ceiling and back into your lap? I know that I have! And if you haven’t you probably haven’t prayed too much. It just seems sometimes that no matter how much you cry out and pray, God is not answering.
I don’t know about you, but that aggravates me. Sometimes it downright angers me. You start wondering… “Why pray at all?” “Is God even real? Does He even exist or is this all just a game to help us cope with life?” But probably the most popular question we ask at a time like this is, “Am I doing something wrong that would hinder God from hearing?” “Am I not praying right?” Simply put, we often ask, “Is it me that is the problem here?” Obviously sometimes that is the case.
Often, however, the problem is not us. Our prayers bounce off the ceiling and we do not know why. We are tempted to get down in the dumps. We are tempted to take matters into our own hands. We are tempted to make decisions independent of God. We are tempted to believe that our case is hopeless.
Let me just say to you, do not give up and do not feel alone. David, a man after God’s own heart, had the same problems that we have today in his prayer life. In Psalm 69: 1-3 he wrote, “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.” ESV I cannot tell you why your prayers sometimes seem to bounce off of the ceiling, but I can tell you that, you are not alone. I can also assure you that if you know Christ your prayers are getting through. They don’t get past the ceiling because you have been a good boy or girl today. They don’t get past the ceiling because you say the right words. They get past the ceiling ONLY because of Jesus. So, don’t give up. Keep praying. That is what God would have you to do.
Jesus told a parable in Luke 18 to the effect that his people should always pray and not lose heart. He described a judge who did not fear God or care for man. In the same city with the judge there lived a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not wear me down by her continual coming and pleading. Then Jesus said, in verses 6-8 “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. (And listen to the last phrase) Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" ESV What in heaven is going on, while I am suffering with my hurts, my pains, my burdens, and my concerns on earth!? God is listening in his compassion, but waiting in his wisdom in order to grow our faith and trust in Him. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Your prayers are not bouncing off of the ceiling. They are just accomplishing exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ever ask or imagine.
