Fall Prayer Meditation: Are My Prayers Always Answered?

Yes, your prayers are always answered.

How can you be certain of this?

You can be certain because God invites us to pray and God never invites us into a meaningless, useless experience.

Not only does God invite us to pray, but during his time here, Jesus gave direct, easy to understand instructions to his disciples who wanted to know how to pray. Jesus begins his instructions by saying "Pray like this..." Note that he doesn't tell the disciples to say the exact words he spoke. He tells the disciples to "pray like this..." Jesus then speaks the prayer known as The Lord's Prayer.

Usually, when we wonder if prayers are answered, we want to know if we will receive the thing we request.

Only God knows if you will receive the thing you request. Be cautious of those who tell you you're entitled to whatever you ask of God. If you are a true servant of God, you understand servants don't make demands. Servants make requests and are grateful for their Lord's response. This is not a popular view, but it is the only view that is based on our true status as servants of God. We are entitled to ask. We are not entitled to demand or insist.

Here's the easy part: you are making a request of an all-powerful, all-loving God who loves you specifically and personally. If you don't receive what you request, this is because God knows more than you know and because God only gives the best to those who are willing to accept what God wants.

Prayer should happen in the context of a life that's trusting of and dedicated to God. If you already understand God as Lord, yourself as servant, and God's answers as always good and best, it is easier to accept a "no" answer from God.

Yes, your prayers are always answered. The question is: are you always ready to receive God's answer?