Daily Devotional for Sunday, June 4

Hindrances to Prayer

“There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it,” Job 35:12, 13.

As a child, my sister used to ask me to do her a favor and then would say that she knew I would not do it before ever telling me what the favor was that she wanted me to do. I used to tell her that she was correct, that if she did not tell me what the favor was, then I certainly would not do it because I did not even know what it was that she wanted. Usually, it was because it was something frivolous or something that might get me into trouble, thus she knew that I would not grant her favor. People sometimes approach God in the same way; they either ask for something they should not or have no faith that the Lord will grant their petition in the first place.

God is not in the business of answering prayers just so we can feed our greedy desires or to cause some evil in this world and to others “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts,” (James 4:3). The truth is that there are many things that can hinder your prayers in this life, even your relationship with your spouse “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered,” (1 Peter 3:7). The key is to be seeking and asking in the will of God, and not in a vain manner as brought out in our opening passage (Job 35: 13).

THOUGHT: Prayer is our way to communicate with the Father. Do not let anything hinder or get in the way of this connection you have with the Lord.

Tim Chambers