Unanswered Prayer?

This is the first entry on the new category that I am posting. It is called Edifying. In this entire blog, my purpose is to make less of myself, and make much more of Jesus Christ. Lifting up His name which is above every name in this world. As much as I want to glorify Jesus Christ, I also desire to help other Christians by edifying and encouraging them to see that "Jesus is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him", in reference from John Piper's quote.

There are many prayers that are unanswered in my life. I could go through a list of them, but I just want to specify some just to make my point. My family is non-Christian, and I am praying for them to come to know the knowledge and the work of Jesus Christ. Basically I desire them to be saved. By the sovereignty of God, He has not yet done so. I am currently still jobless, and I have been searching for a job during summer. Sometimes I get stressed out and frustrated when I cannot get a job offer. In all honesty, sometimes I wonder if God can hear me. As sinful as I am, I do worry and doubt.

Even James clearly says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6)

"You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." (James 4:2-3)

Strong and convicting passages. The gospel ultimately makes a difference in our lives whether we realize it or not. Because I believe the gospel isn't just only words or a message, but, as Paul says it, it is "also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." (1 Thessalonians 1:5) Jesus Christ, who claimed to be God, was crucified on the cross, died for my sin (my anxiety, my unbelief) and has resurrected from the dead and now all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him. Therefore, I trust Jesus who has foreknowledge of my life. As God said, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" so that I could put my worries to death and my anxieties will NOT be placed in worldliness (Jeremiah 29:11).

Prayer is not about getting something from God, but it is about talking to God as your Father (Psalm 5:1-3; Philippians 4:4-7; Matthew 6:5-13). Jesus knows what we need in our daily lives. Knowing what Jesus has done for us, we need to respond back to Him. Repent of our anxiety in trusting ourselves, our own control in dealing with life, and the mentality of thinking you have everything under control regarding your future, and turn and trust in Jesus who is sovereign over your life, and He also hears your prayer and has already answered it.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55:6-9)

You know what, there are many reasons why we can't seem to see God answering our prayers. Sometimes I can relate to the psalmist in Psalms 13. I highly encourage you to listen to what Francis Chan says in "what we should do about unanswered prayer" in the link below:

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/what-should-we-do-about-unanswered-prayer#ooid=d3MWhwMjpcdQyZoY3HN8GYpzYReT9j7c