Why do we have to wait so long for prayers to be answered

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Lean66

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As per my question. My life has never been easy and I feel that God is always testing and I just understand why God wants us to say so so many prayers to assist or answer a prayer request.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
 
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Every request made of God in prayer is answered.

Most times the answer is “no” because, as Scripture says, we are asking for something that is outside of God’s will (book of James, chapter 4).

Sometimes the answer is “wait”.

Remember Christ taught us to pray “thy will be done”.
 
Our prayers are always answered according to God’s will and in His time - not ours. Just because we pray and ask for for xyz does not mean he will give us xyz. Our response is to remain faithful and pray for His will.
 
I have been praying for something related to my spiritual well-being for about 5 years, but it has not been answered.
I then always remember how Mary and Joseph sought Jesus “lost” in Jerusalem.
Mary and Joseph must have been praying in sorrow and they found Him on the third day.
Imagine three days of sorrow and crying with sleepless nights…
God who is very close to them did not answer their prayers until the third day.
He could have pointed to them where Jesus was at any time.
 
If I may say…

In one sense - I am surprised to hear you say some prayers require a long time to be answered; but in another way it makes a lot of sense…

Sometimes, if I lose something, I will pray to St Anthony, and I’ll find it within minutes - even in the strangest places I wouldn’t have thought of looking. It’s a simple
(and popular) prayer:

“Tony, Tony look around - something’s lost and must be found…”

I use that little prayer even for lost memories, as I think prayer itself has a lot to do with memory and recollection, which can naturally help one find things. I would say perhaps the prayer is effective for me because St Anthony is my patron Saint at confirmation, but many, many other people will attest the same way. Try it sometime! 🙂

But I also like long prayers, so sometimes a prayer itself is just a long prayer. Right now, I’m working with a friend to go through a 33 Day Consecration to the Blessed Mother, so it’s just by nature a lengthy prayer. Some are even longer.

Maybe all that doesn’t matter, though. God’s time is not human time. God’s time is eternal. Perhaps what can make it seem like a long time is how long it takes you to recognize the response? That’s not to say there’s anything wrong in waiting and discerning a long time, but the answer is probably already “there” for you - and you just have to come around to figuring it out or accepting it somehow…

May God Bless You Abundantly!

wm
 
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There’s a very interesting story in Daniel chapter 10 about a vision he had. He either was speaking with an angel or it was Jesus himself because it sounds like other visions of Jesus–especially from the book of Revelation. Anyhow, this “Angel” was sent by God to come and speak to Daniel, but it took him 21 days to reach Daniel because he was in combat with other spiritual forces who were trying to oppose him. The Archangel Michael finally came to help him, and he was able to reach Daniel with the message from God.

There are other spiritual forces in this world who fight to keep God’s will from being accomplished.
I think it may be one of the reasons why Jesus encouraged us to keep praying and not to lose heart.

But, truthfully, OTOH, sometimes God does say “no,” or perhaps, “wait for my perfect timing.”
 
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I don’t think anybody’s life has really been “easy” in the sense of not being tested by God. We may have a relatively easy life in terms of having our material needs met - we have food, shelter, clothing, jobs, the Internet etc - but we all have personal life challenges and have to face setbacks and grief/ loss., even if we are the wealthiest person in the world.

The problem here is not that God is not answering your prayers, it’s that you don’t like the answer he’s giving. How about changing your strategy and asking God what he wills for you and how you can better meet the challenge of doing God’s will?
 
From the Latin Vulgate-based scripture translations (D-R, Knox, Confraternity):
Tobit 12:13 “Because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary that testing should prove you.”
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There is no time limit on the test. Rather than look always for an answer to prayer, why not simply ask for the grace to endure your test? I have learned that the hard way.
 
I always had difficulty with that story of Jesus been missing for a few days. To me that is literally a case of bad parenting - seriously how did not Mary check with Joseph and really when they found Jesus - as parents - they should have given Jesus such a hard time for causing them worry and I never felt that Jesus was really sorry for worrying Mary so. Sorry if he was my child I would so want to chastise him and I wouldn’t care who he was.

I think God is unfair to any of us in trouble. He likes and wants to see us suffer while we pray to him He gives us tests that for some are really too much . for example my parents he gave seven children five of which were born with special needs. Really that was an unfair burden to give to my parents and God has given me a very big cross in caring for my sick and disabled husband. I honestly feel that GOD has a cruel steak and I am very very fed up with Him.
 
Lean66 said:
My life has never been easy
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My dear brother, who’s life ever been easy? Like, for really?
Lean66 said:
why God wants us to say so so many prayers
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Why you’re considering talking with God as something that has to be required to obtain some benefits? He “don’t want us to say so many prayers”, He simply want to be with us. Prayer is supposed to be staying in His presence, thanking Him for all His great things He’s giving us – not only mere asking for xyz. Maybe, as said in James 4:2-3, you’re praying for wrong things?
[2] You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. [3] When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
 
With respect to Mary and Joseph being bad parents and Jesus being an ungrateful 12-year-old, we have to remember that the Scriptures tell a very short version of the story and probably don’t capture every detail of what was going on (any more than the Wedding at Cana story does). As for Mary not checking with Joseph, my understanding is that the travels to Jerusalem involved Mary traveling in one part of a large caravan with the women and Joseph traveling in another part some distance away with the men, so any “checking with” would probably have been done when they were a day or a half day away from the city already, just due to the logistics of the travel. Plus, we all know how 12-year-olds can elude their parents; for all we know Jesus, being God’s son (and knowing he was God’s son as he said he must “be about his Father’s business”) might have even used some type of supernatural power to transport himself back to the Temple.

Anyway, I’m sorry that you and your parents have had to face some big challenges in life. My father was sick and disabled for years and I had to watch what my mom went through trying to help him and care for him. It was difficult. I’ve seen other people in that situation too and I feel for them all and agree with you that it is a big cross to carry. We all have our crosses to bear, though mine is different from yours.

We all have our times of feeling frustrated with God, like he’s just dumping too much on us or like we just feel so bad and God seems to be absent or uncaring. But if you talk to him often, you should also feel times when he’s there, helping you. I know that might sound pretty unbelievable when you’re feeling really low and annoyed with God, but it’s true. God cares about you even when he seems absent, cruel or frustrating. Please just keep talking to him. I will pray for you and your husband and ask God to please give you some more help. God bless you
 
I’m sorry you’re going through all this.
Sometimes we just get overwhelmed with life.
I can assure you that God isn’t up there rubbing His hands together with glee and thinking “I wonder if she can handle this!”
The opposite is true—He came down from Heaven and lived alongside us and suffered just like we do— hard work, physical pain, disappointing relationships, targeted with injustice.
(I know this doesn’t take away your pain in the moment).

You may want to consider, rather than finding a new or different prayer that will finally change God’s mind, try spending time with Him, in quiet contemplation. Get to know Him. Read the words of Jesus in the gospels. Read the book of Job.

I’ll remember you in my prayers ❤️:pray:t2:
 
Tis_Bearself - I only know too well what 12 year olds can do. I used to pull the wool over my own mother’s eyes. Knowing what I was capable of doing and knowing what my own 13 year old is capable of doing - am always on high alert with parenting but I know we live in different times but I still have difficulty in how Jesus could evade his parents for a couple of days.

To be honest, am worn out with worry and stress and everything being a struggle and I’ve prayed and talked to God but I honestly feel He isn’t listening to me and I am at the stage where I think I might be done with life.
 
Sometimes, when I have too many disasters coming at me at once, I find it helpful to sit down with pen and paper and write out exactly everything that’s wrong, what I did to contribute to it, and what other people did to contribute to it.
Then I walk away from it.
A couple hour later, I come back, look over my list and figure out an action plan to change the things i can—maybe it’s a habit, maybe it’s a way of relating to others, or just a way to rearrange my schedule.
Sometimes the very act of writing brings a bit of clarity.

Also, make sure you’re taking care of your self. Healthy food, exercize, fresh air and sunshine, adequate rest, maintaining your friendships outside of the home. Journaling helps some people.

❤️
 
I’m so very sorry you feel bad. t will offer my Mass for you today. God is with you even when you feel at your lowest. Maybe try going to Mother Mary and St. Joseph too. I will pray that God lets you know he is hearing your prayer. Hang in there. It will get better. ❤️
 
Be humble in your prayer. At the end say: Lord, grant us what you will, as much as you will, when you will.
 
Considering we are often the instruments God uses to accomplish His will, sometimes the delay is due to our delay in responding to God’s will to help others.
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles, praying for you. I cannot offer helpful advice. On the upside, you are blessed to have a husband. Some of us would like to be married ( yes it is hard especially when one has to take care if a disabled spouse or child), but havinf difficulty finding someone, despite efforts.
 
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