How does prayer work and why does God sometimes seem not to answer?
Prayer is a co-creative act between God and humanity. While the Bible affirms prayer's power, This teaching clarifies that sincere prayer, combined with human effort, establishes conditions of indemnity for God's will to be fulfilled in restoration. Unanswered prayers prompt us to examine our motives, effort, and alignment with God's ultimate purpose for creation and restoration.
Understanding why sincere prayers sometimes feel unanswered is a profound challenge for believers. A clear theological framework, integrating biblical revelation and Divine Principle, is essential for a mature relationship with God and for active participation in His will.
The Biblical Foundation of Prayer
The Bible portrays prayer as both powerfully efficacious and conditionally responsive. Jesus promised, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8). Mark 11:24 similarly states: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Philippians 4:6-7 encourages, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." These verses instill great hope in prayer's power.
However, challenges arise. James 4:3 warns, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." This highlights the crucial role of motive and alignment with God's will. Even devout individuals face apparent unanswered prayers. The Apostle Paul prayed three times for the removal of his "thorn in the flesh," receiving the reply, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Similarly, Jesus, in Gethsemane, prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42), demonstrating surrender to God's higher purpose. These passages reveal a deeper complexity: prayer is not a divine vending machine, but an interaction within God's larger plan and human responsibility. For "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:23b).
Divine Principle's Clarification of Prayer
The Divine Principle clarifies that prayer operates within God's Principle of Restoration, particularly after the human Fall. Before the Fall, humanity experienced direct, unhindered communion with God. The Fall introduced sin, defined as any action or thought that reciprocates with Satan, severing this harmonious connection and disrupting humanity's ability to receive blessings naturally. God’s providence to restore humanity requires conditions to be met, as God works through principles and respects humanity's portion of responsibility. Prayer is a crucial spiritual practice that helps us support each other through temptations and trials, as all spirits will eventually resurrect through their conscience and find their way to God's love.
Prayer, therefore, is not merely a passive petition but an active spiritual and physical condition for God to act. It establishes a condition of indemnity, which is an act of sincere faith, dedication, sacrifice, or effort that compensates for past errors or creates a foundation for blessings aligned with God's will. When our prayers are offered with sincere faith and diligent effort, they create the necessary spiritual bridge for God’s power to flow, allowing Him to fulfill His will through us. God, as our Heavenly Parent, is a personal God with intellect, emotion, and will (Genesis 1:26-27), and He earnestly seeks to find every lost sheep and guide us to restoration. However, He cannot violate His Principle of Creation or Principle of Restoration by acting unilaterally without human cooperation; our prayer, coupled with our efforts, is that cooperation. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16b).
Understanding Prayer as Co-Creation
This integrated understanding reveals prayer as a profound co-creative act between God and humanity. God desires to restore His ideal world, the Kingdom of Heaven, but requires human beings, as His partners, to actively participate. Earnest prayers, offered with sincere faith and dedicated effort, become the spiritual and often physical conditions through which God works. A seemingly "unanswered" prayer is not necessarily a divine refusal, but rather a call to: 1. Re-evaluate our portion of responsibility: Have we done our part? "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). 2. Establish a greater condition of indemnity: Perhaps a blessing requires deeper sacrifice or effort. This is crucial, as "nothing is guaranteed" in God's providence, requiring human responsibility alongside God's predestination of the will. 3. Align our purpose with God’s overarching providence: Is our request consistent with God's ultimate desire for restoration? Jesus’ Gethsemane prayer (Luke 22:42) exemplifies aligning human will with God’s greater salvific purpose, which is the fulfillment of the purpose of creation and restoration. This perspective transforms "unanswered prayer" into a diagnostic tool, prompting examination of our character, effort, and alignment with God's will. It shifts focus from passive waiting to active, intentional participation in God's plan. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5).
Living the Principle
To live a life of effective prayer, integrate these insights: 1. Pray with pure motives, aligning your desires with God’s will for His Kingdom and not solely for personal gratification (James 4:3), understanding that God is our Heavenly Parent who longs for our return. 2. Fulfill your portion of responsibility through diligent effort and action alongside prayer; this creates the necessary condition of indemnity, helping to bring about resurrection for yourself and others. 3. Offer conditions of sincerity and sacrifice, demonstrating the depth of your faith and dedication through persistent effort or sacrificial acts, knowing this strengthens the spiritual bridge for God's grace. 4. Embrace perseverance, trusting God's perfect timing and wisdom, knowing that His "no" or "not yet" may be a deeper "yes" to His perfecting grace (Romans 8:28), as God's will is always to accomplish the purpose of creation and restoration.
These answers explain the Bible in the light of the Divine Principle, the teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Read about the author, Sun Myung Moon.
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Sources and further reading
- The Holy Bible, King James Version — Scripture quoted and referenced throughout the answers.
- The Divine Principle (full text) — The complete text of the Divine Principle, the teaching of Reverend Sun Myung Moon that these answers explain.
- Unification texts library (tparents.org) — Large online library of Unification texts, sermons and collected speeches, including the Cheon Seong Gyeong.
- Short video lectures in English — Playlist of short English video lectures presenting these same principles.