Frustrated with unanswered prayer?

04/18/2024 • View profile

“Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9)

It can be frustrating and take a toll on your faith when it seems like your prayers fall on deaf ears. Many mothers and fathers have prayed endless prayers and cried numerous tears for years over their wayward children. What about the wife that has begged God for the conversion of her husband?

We live in a “fast food” society. We expect everything to be fast. We go through a drive-thru and are handed our morning coffee or our quick dinner on the way to a ballgame. Now, we do not even have to walk the aisles of a grocery store because we can simply punch in the items on our phone and have it delivered. God does not always work in cooperation with our speed desire.

The Lord has continually encouraged us throughout Sacred Scripture to never give up with our prayers. God’s calendar is not synced with ours. It does not mean that our desires, pleas, or begging is not heard and added to his calendar. We must remember God’s ways are not our ways and his timetable is not ours.

The Israelites became impatient in the wilderness when God had Moses lead them through the desert. They were there for 40 years. Their impatience led to sin rather than prayer.

“Pray without ceasing.” (I Thessalonians 5:17)

Now matter how dark it seems or how silent your prayers appear God is still there. We become frustrated with the lack of answered prayers when we begin to doubt if we are praying right or frequently enough. We take a large portion of the burden upon our own shoulders in obtaining the answer we seek from God. We are not entitled to an explanation of why our prayers are not answered, have taken so long to answer, or why God simply says ‘No’. We are asked to trust God. We are asked to trust and rest in the peace that the same God that loves us enough to send His only Son to earth for our redemption still listens to our prayers. He always has your best interest in mind. That best interest may include requiring you to wait for an answer, even if it is 10 years or 40 years, or it may simply be ‘no’.

Your responsibility is to pray and to keep praying. Let God do the rest.

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About the Author

Amelia Monroe Carlson

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Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.

During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.

After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.

Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.

Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.

She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.

To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)

Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson

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