Why aren't more prayers answered?

Isn't that the killer question about prayer... "why don't my prayers get answered?"

A woman once asked me that right after I taught a prayer seminar on a ship in the Caribbean. Her husband had recently died with cancer, even though she strenuously prayed for him to live. It was a tough question, and I wasn't sure how to answer it.

But later when I took the time to investigate the question in Scripture, I found scores of reasons why prayers go unanswered.

Here's one of the most disturbing reasons I found: every prayer I pray is filtered through my spirit.

If I'm spiritually unhealthy, my prayers arrive at the Father's throne infected. They appear shredded and beyond recognition. Dead on arrival.

That's why the Spirit said through Isaiah, "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen... Take your evil deeds out of my sight!" (Isaiah 1:15-16 NIV).

And it's why Jesus ended his amazing teaching on faith and prayer by saying, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him..." (Mark 11:25 NIV).

Don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to blame hurting people for their own predicament. I'm pointing out a key to understanding the dynamics of prayer... Unanswered prayers aren't God's fault.

As long as I blame God for not hearing me... then I've shut down all my options. Blame God, and where else can I go for help?

Prayer (which is conversation with God) is still a human activity and subject to errors and misunderstandings.

Which means, I still have lots of homework to do before my prayer life reaches the next level.