If there’s a subject, I have WAY too much experience with, it’s being broke. So, let me be transparent and talk about that stuff. Here’s the truth about my situation:
I run a small ministry. It’s just me. The LORD called me to full-time ministry nearly two decades ago and has closed many doors to keep me from a steady income. I depend on tithes and offerings like any other church, except I don’t look like a church. People don’t see the walls, chairs, or pulpit, so they struggle to understand what I do. As a result, many people are reluctant to give. So, we struggle. We always have. The things I’m going to list here are things I’ve learned from my own experience. Going through Psalm 20 in the podcast, Verse 4 in particular, has me thinking about these things a lot. Psalm 20:4 says…
“May He grant you according to your heart's [desire], and fulfill all your purpose.”
I’m like most people. I look at promises from God like this and hope God will grant my desire to live a little more comfortably. Don’t get me wrong. The LORD has been EXCEPTIONALLY faithful to provide. We are a legit non-profit with a 501c3. That’s not an easy thing to get. The ministry has been around for nearly two decades! There are PLENTY of ministries that don’t make it that long. I’m still here able to do what God has commanded. The LORD has always given the ministry enough to get the job done. He’s just never let us get over that hump to where we can enjoy the benefits of “financial security.”
The money thing is hard. It’s hard to stay encouraged. I often find myself thinking,
“LORD, if we were out of debt, or had “X-amount” of dollars, we’d be able to do this, that, and the other thing in ministry for Your glory. Don’t You want that?”
You hear people quote scriptures about God’s desire for us to prosper, and live that “good and abundant life.” Sometimes I see other people doing well financially, while I’m desperately praying for help just so that we can get by. It’s like a dagger. Why won’t the LORD hear our prayer and help us? The temptation to take verses like Psalm 20:4 out of context gets tough.
Before we get into this list, keep this in mind. The LORD may have His reasons for keeping you in the circumstances you’re faced with. Still, these seven things are major issues. They can heavily affect your prayer life. We need to consider these things carefully. That’s not to say that if you find and correct your flaws God will give you what you want. The Bible doesn’t teach that. He might, but He might not. Considering these things though, WILL improve your connection and relationship with the LORD, especially in prayer. That should be the main objective. With that said, let’s check out this list.
REASON 1: Lying To Yourself
Have you ever considered that your motives concerning money are crooked?
“The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, [I] test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” – Jeremiah 17:9-10
The Bible teaches we all excel in lying to ourselves. That’s true of Christians also. When it comes to lying to ourselves, we do so to convince ourselves that the things we’re doing contrary to God are actually pleasing to Him. The problem here is that this issue is undetectable without the LORD. He’s the One that searches and knows the heart. We often don’t know our motives. Only God does.
It’s VERY possible that, while you think your motives about money are “good,” you’re lying to yourself. Maybe your desire for more is based on selfishness, or a hidden desire to prove yourself – not glorify God. If we are influenced by the wickedness of our natural hearts and not the Holy Spirit, we’re grieving the Spirit, and our prayers are messed up. We need to ask the LORD to show us the truth of our motives and submit to the truth He reveals to us, making corrections in repentance where necessary.
REASON 2: Unrepentant Sin
There’s a common misconception that God hears everything we say when we pray. That’s not what the Bible teaches.
“When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.” – Isaiah 1:15
Here, God acknowledged how people were doing all the religious things that the scriptures commanded them, but clearly, there were problems. Many people in Israel at that time did things that seemed good. They felt entitled to receive things from God as a result. God disagreed. Even though they were doing some of the things that scripture commanded, they lived contrary to God’s holiness, righteousness, and justice the rest of the time.
We can’t obey God in some areas while living as an offense to Him in other areas. We can’t follow the scriptures that are convenient to our goals like it’s no big deal to ignore the rest. If we live in sin, God won’t listen to our prayers. Your financial struggles may be for this reason. Your heart’s desire may be elusive because of sin in your life.
REASON 3: Your Marriage Relationship
If you’re married, this is a verse you need to consider:
“Husbands, likewise, dwell with [them] with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as [being] heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” – 1 Peter 3:7
The LORD expects husbands to treat their wives in certain ways. If we don’t, it WILL affect our prayer life. We’re commanded to understand our wives, in the sense that, we need to be constantly considerate of their purpose, as the LORD commanded them in the Word. We need to recognize their identity as helpmates, and our need for them to fulfill our purpose as husbands. We need to know how God values our wives, based on the purpose He appointed for them. Since the Bible teaches the husband-wife relationship is intended to manifest spiritual lessons, we need to consider our wives’ spiritual purposes and treat them accordingly.
Ephesians 5:25 says that husbands are supposed to love their wives as Christ loved the church. We need to die to self, for their spiritual benefit. If we don’t do that Biblically, our prayers will be affected. Maybe the LORD is waiting for us to treat our wives like His Word says, to answer our prayers about money or other “heart’s desire.”
REASON 4: Broken Relationships
The marriage relationship isn’t the only one that can cripple our connection to God. Here’s what Jesus had to say about this:
“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24
Here, Jesus was teaching about how murder begins in the heart. Certain types of unresolved anger are considered to be like murder in the eyes of God. Do we think God is answering prayers from murderers? Is God giving people with murderous hearts, their “heart’s desire?”
Jesus taught that our relationships with others affect how God receives our offerings and sacrifices. If we have anger or hate in our hearts against certain people in our family, at work, or in general, God isn’t excited by that attitude. Maybe our issues aren’t being addressed because of anger, requiring reconciliation.
REASON 5: Spiritual Ignorance
God answers prayer, but not always the way we think. What if God DID answer your prayer, or give you your heart’s desire, and you don’t recognize it? Think about this:
“But He answered and said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ And they said to Him, ‘Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them [something] to eat?’ But He said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have? Go and see.’ And when they found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’” – Mark 6:37-38
The math is simple here. Two hundred is more than seven. There were two hundred denarii. There were five loaves and two fish. It’s common that when we pray to God about money, we think that He has to use money to help us. That’s ignorance.
When is God dependent on the things people need, to meet the needs of His people? God didn’t give Israel money to buy bread in the wilderness. He manifested manna. Jesus didn’t multiply the two hundred denarii. He multiplied the lesser resources. God does things differently, to show who He is as God. Maybe God isn’t answering your prayer about money, because you haven’t learned this truth about Him. Or, He may have answered your prayer, and you aren’t paying attention to how He’s multiplying.
REASON 6: Exposing Foolish Wisdom
This has less to do with you and your prayer, and more with HOW God wants to address it. Think about this passage and notice God’s work habits:
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…” – 1 Corinthians 1:27
Sometimes we think that, when God seems silent, He’s ignoring us. The first five points show that He might be waiting for us to change our hearts. It’s also possible that God is setting Himself to answer your prayer in ways that make others look dumb. People tend to think things should be done in certain ways to accomplish certain results. Everyone always knows what’s better and proper. Right? Sometimes God wants to answer your prayer and has plans to deliver you from money issues or to bless you. Sometimes He wants to do it a certain way though. Sometimes God wants to prove how worldly wisdom and counsel are foolish, ultimately glorifying Himself. I’ve seen that in my life firsthand!
REASON 7: To Learn Humility
The Bible certainly teaches that God has good intentions for His people, and wants us to prosper. Again, Psalm 20:4 says that God wants to grant the desires of our hearts. Here’s a difficult truth to consider though. We learn much more about God and the value of His promises when we’re struggling. Deep down, we all know that’s true. We’ve likely all heard this verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Well, here’s what it says right before that statement…
“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” – Philippians 4:12
Apparently, God wants His people to learn contentment. This means we’ll have to go through some dry seasons. The Apostle Paul did. He knew how to be broke and hungry. He had seasons where he had excess and was filled too. God kept Paul broke and hungry at times because He wanted to teach Paul to be content with all circumstances. God wanted to teach Paul how to depend on Him, regardless of the circumstances. Maybe the LORD wants to keep us broke for a while to teach us this same lesson. He’s the One that equips us for victory concerning His spiritual and eternal purposes. Our circumstances and access to resources aren’t the issue. Maybe you need to learn contentment so that you can learn to value the eternal and spiritual things that God desires for you more than the things of this life.
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