Do you feel like God is ignoring you?

Faith First

Faith First

If you had someone who frequently did not listen to you nor took you seriously, would you keep advising and talking to them?

What can we learn from the story of Abraham?

In Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham to get out of his country and away from his family to a land that He would show him. But we see Abraham taking Lot with him (Genesis 12:5). God did not say Lot could come along.

From Genesis 12:6 to Genesis 13:13, we see God being with Abraham and blessing him, but at the same time, we see God not speaking to Abraham. We see 26 Bible verses of silence. I wonder how many months it could have been that God did not say anything to Abraham.

After Lot left to live in Sodom, we see God start to speak to Abraham again in Genesis 13:14.

Therefore, if you feel that God is silent or feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling or God seems far away and is quiet or is ignoring you, it could be because He has stopped talking because you do not listen to Him anyway.

Consider the last thing that God told you to do, which you have not done or which you partially did.
  • Maybe it was to forgive someone.
  • Maybe it was to stop a bad habit that is hurting you or your family.
  • Maybe it was to obey a certain verse in the bible.
  • Maybe it was to help someone or give something.
  • Maybe it was to apologize to someone.

Whatever it is, consider doing it soon as possible.

There are off course, other possible reasons for the silence. Maybe God is testing your faith, or He wants to answer your prayer, but the timing is not right.

Another consideration about prayer

When you read the bible, you will see that whenever someone requests something, the requester also has a part to play.

Old Testament Examples
  • Crossing of the red sea - In Exodus 14:21, we read of the crossing of the red sea by the Israelites. However, before they crossed, God instructed Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, and then the Lord caused the sea to be divided. If Moses had not stretched out his hand over the sea, God would not have parted the sea.
  • Curing Naaman’s leprosy - In the book of 2 Kings 5:10, Elisha told Naaman to wash in the Jordan river seven times to get rid of the leprosy. If Naaman had not done so, God would not have cured him of leprosy.
  • Healing of King Hezekiah - In 2 Kings 20:7, an instruction was given to place a lump of figs on king Hezekiah’s boil. It is only after doing so that God healed him.

New Testament Examples

  • Christ curing the ten lepers - In Luke 17:14, Christ instructed the ten lepers to show themselves to the priests, and while they went, they got cleansed from leprosy. If they had not gone, they would not have received the healing.
  • Christ turning water into wine - In John 2:7-8, Christ instructed that the waterpots be filled with water to the brim. Once the servant had done so and drew the water out, the water turned into wine. If the servants had ignored Jesus, the miracle would not have happened.
  • Christ curing a man sick with palsy - In Mark 2:11-12, Jesus instructed the man with the palsy to arise and take up his bed and go to his house. Immediately when the man did what Christ said, he got healed.

God is all-powerful and does not need our help to do anything, and Jesus could have performed the healing and miracles without the individual doing anything.

However, the examples shown in the bible indicate that God doing 100% of something is not his preferred way of doing things. When someone prays or requests something from Him, He will tell that person to do something, and when that person has done what they were told, then He answers the prayer or performs the miracle. If the person did not listen to Him and did nothing, then the prayer did not get answered.

Therefore before considering other reasons why God seems to be silent, I would consider exploring whether you have not been listening to Him and are not taking Him seriously. Maybe you are waiting for God to do something, but maybe He is waiting for you.

At the same time, you should act only when you are certain that what you are about to do is what God wants or has instructed and is in accordance with His will. You should not be like Abraham, who agreed with his wife to have a child with Hagar when God told him that he would have a son. God said that he would have a son, but he did not say he must have one with Hagar.

To God, to only believe is not an indication of faith. To God, believing and then performing the action he has said is an indication of faith.

Christianity is faith-based and not works-based, but at the same time, it is not a do-nothing faith.
 
If I went by my feelings, yes, I feel He sometimes ignores me, but if I walk by faith I know He speaks to me daily through His Word.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NKJV
[6] So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. [7] For we walk by faith, not by sight (or feelings).[8] We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
 
A good read.
But don't you agree faith and 'real' believing are inseparable.
For you can't have faith if you don't believe.

In regard to requests not being answered I find that my thinking is simple and that the eternal God is so much higher that it only appears He doesn't hear for He said 'I will never leave you or forsake you' and we know that an eternal God doesn't ever have to change His mind, if He told me once that He loved me and forgave me then that settles it.
I certainly need correction and refinement - but all is well.
Again - enjoyed the read and keep up the good work brother...
 
God always listens. Perhaps the answer is no. Maybe we have asked for something that God knows would be bad for us and we realize at a later time why we did not get what we asked for, and even thank God that He said no.
I cannot imagine God ignoring anyone.
 
I used to think He was ignoring me.
But I realised I had no patience, had too many fears, and lacked understanding regarding His Will.
What I have realised now is that when my attitude and clarity improves toward what I need in life He naturally works with me and even though I don’t always get what I want I do get more patience peace and faith in what is happening which changes the way I feel.
I think I overlooked the fact that He was helping me all along by showing me where I was actually going wrong if that makes any sense
 
Hello Faith First;

I gave this some thought and to be honest I have never felt God ever ignored me.

I will confess I have ignored God many times through the years, shame on me, and remember a time in 1995 - tough year, when I was angry with Him so I ignored Him like a knucklehead.

Thank you for sharing, Faith First.

God bless you, sister, and your family.
 
Faith First said:
If you had someone who frequently did not listen to you nor took you seriously, would you keep advising and talking to them?

What can we learn from the story of Abraham?

In Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham to get out of his country and away from his family to a land that He would show him. But we see Abraham taking Lot with him (Genesis 12:5). God did not say Lot could come along.

From Genesis 12:6 to Genesis 13:13, we see God being with Abraham and blessing him, but at the same time, we see God not speaking to Abraham. We see 26 Bible verses of silence. I wonder how many months it could have been that God did not say anything to Abraham.

After Lot left to live in Sodom, we see God start to speak to Abraham again in Genesis 13:14.

Therefore, if you feel that God is silent or feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling or God seems far away and is quiet or is ignoring you, it could be because He has stopped talking because you do not listen to Him anyway.

Consider the last thing that God told you to do, which you have not done or which you partially did.
  • Maybe it was to forgive someone.
  • Maybe it was to stop a bad habit that is hurting you or your family.
  • Maybe it was to obey a certain verse in the bible.
  • Maybe it was to help someone or give something.
  • Maybe it was to apologize to someone.

Whatever it is, consider doing it soon as possible.

There are off course, other possible reasons for the silence. Maybe God is testing your faith, or He wants to answer your prayer, but the timing is not right.

Another consideration about prayer

When you read the bible, you will see that whenever someone requests something, the requester also has a part to play.

Old Testament Examples
  • Crossing of the red sea - In Exodus 14:21, we read of the crossing of the red sea by the Israelites. However, before they crossed, God instructed Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, and then the Lord caused the sea to be divided. If Moses had not stretched out his hand over the sea, God would not have parted the sea.
  • Curing Naaman’s leprosy - In the book of 2 Kings 5:10, Elisha told Naaman to wash in the Jordan river seven times to get rid of the leprosy. If Naaman had not done so, God would not have cured him of leprosy.
  • Healing of King Hezekiah - In 2 Kings 20:7, an instruction was given to place a lump of figs on king Hezekiah’s boil. It is only after doing so that God healed him.

New Testament Examples

  • Christ curing the ten lepers - In Luke 17:14, Christ instructed the ten lepers to show themselves to the priests, and while they went, they got cleansed from leprosy. If they had not gone, they would not have received the healing.
  • Christ turning water into wine - In John 2:7-8, Christ instructed that the waterpots be filled with water to the brim. Once the servant had done so and drew the water out, the water turned into wine. If the servants had ignored Jesus, the miracle would not have happened.
  • Christ curing a man sick with palsy - In Mark 2:11-12, Jesus instructed the man with the palsy to arise and take up his bed and go to his house. Immediately when the man did what Christ said, he got healed.

God is all-powerful and does not need our help to do anything, and Jesus could have performed the healing and miracles without the individual doing anything.

However, the examples shown in the bible indicate that God doing 100% of something is not his preferred way of doing things. When someone prays or requests something from Him, He will tell that person to do something, and when that person has done what they were told, then He answers the prayer or performs the miracle. If the person did not listen to Him and did nothing, then the prayer did not get answered.

Therefore before considering other reasons why God seems to be silent, I would consider exploring whether you have not been listening to Him and are not taking Him seriously. Maybe you are waiting for God to do something, but maybe He is waiting for you.

At the same time, you should act only when you are certain that what you are about to do is what God wants or has instructed and is in accordance with His will. You should not be like Abraham, who agreed with his wife to have a child with Hagar when God told him that he would have a son. God said that he would have a son, but he did not say he must have one with Hagar.

To God, to only believe is not an indication of faith. To God, believing and then performing the action he has said is an indication of faith.

Christianity is faith-based and not works-based, but at the same time, it is not a do-nothing faith.
Click to expand...

We talk to God by praying.

God talks to us through His written Word.

When ask God through prayer He always listens and actually answers.

He answers in one of 3 ways............
1. YES.
2. NO.
3. Later.

It is #2 and #3 that disturbs us and cause us to think He is not interested or not listening.

Remember-----God's "no" isn't punishment, it's preparation

Rom 5:2a-5 -
"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

God is preparing us to be His Son's bride. We will reign with Him; we must be made into a bride worthy of our position. He develops perseverance, character, and hope as we trust Him in prayer. Prayer and spiritual warfare is His means of preparing us for bridehood.
 
Major said:
We talk to God by praying.

God talks to us through His written Word.

When ask God through prayer He always listens and actually answers.

He answers in one of 3 ways............
1. YES.
2. NO.
3. Later.

It is #2 and #3 that disturbs us and cause us to think He is not interested or not listening.

Remember-----God's "no" isn't punishment, it's preparation

Rom 5:2a-5 -
"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

God is preparing us to be His Son's bride. We will reign with Him; we must be made into a bride worthy of our position. He develops perseverance, character, and hope as we trust Him in prayer. Prayer and spiritual warfare is His means of preparing us for bridehood.
Click to expand...

Well said, Major;

When ask God through prayer He always listens and actually answers.
He answers in one of 3 ways............
1. YES.
2. NO.
3. Later.

I'm going to respond to 3. God does fill me alot with Later. It's not that He's ignoring me but there is always a lesson or sin that He will guide me through. Other times He is preparing me for "another way" in my prayer questions.

This is not a big example but with a point. My wife took two days off this week so we can work on a family project that we planned for months. Before we started I asked her to pray with me. I didn't want to get frustrated or disagreeable with my wife because we both tend to take charge in our tasks. "Later," I was expecting God to give me the lead and exercise patience with her, instead, she took charge and I was able make suggestions but we both enjoyed getting our project done. Nobody took credit and it brought us closer together.

God bless you, brother for your post.
 
The thing with Hagar was because Abraham and Sarah had to wait for a long time. I don't know if they just expected the promise to be fulfilled straight away, or what Abraham needed to do FIRST so that they could have a child.

When you teach, often you just instruct the person and go away for a bit and let them do it themselves (armed with your instruction), it's not really ignoring them to let them figure it out themselves for a bit.

God isn't going to hover over you like a helicopter parent if thats what you expect.
 
This does remind me of the time Mary and Martha were a bit disappointed when Jesus was late for their sick brother Lazarus. I don't think they ever accused him of ignoring them though...
 
CPerkins said:
Most often God answers my prayers with wait, but I’ve seen immediate yes answers as well.
Click to expand...
Well, this morning, as I do most days, I asked God for a day of peace and productivity. By noon, I realized the answer to that prayer was "No." I then prayed for the inner peace not to throw someone out a window. The day is now over and I did not go to jail - so I guess and answer to the second request was a "Yes."

Rtm
 
You know that a derogatory name for overly religious people is 'God botherers'

Though what about the parable about the friend at midnight knocking on the door wanting some bread. Sometimes it pays to persist if you need something urgently. God won't turn you away in that case.
 
Apparently according to wiki its baby boomer parents to millenial children.

In China due to one child policy it's known as 'little emperor syndrome' or even to some extremes the 'tiger mother'

With boomers its because they want the best for their children but their good intentions often end up undermining their child's development. If you read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, a helicopter parent would be like Greg Heffley's mother. She's constantly interfering and trying to control 12 year old Greg's life and schooling, and his little brother. The older brother they kind of gave up on lol.

A lot of parents want their children to do well in school and get good jobs (which are very competitive) as insurance so they can look after them later. But it's also a pride and status thing.
 
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