Why Does it Seem Like Prayer Doesn't Work?

At Christmas time,  every day seems to go by so slowly for a child.  They begin counting how many days are left, and each day moves so slow.    When you get older, it seems like the time flies by, how can the days to Christmas pass by so quickly?   The main difference between the two experiences is the 'watching'   The old saying is a watched pot never boils.   Time moves by more slowly when we are watching and waiting upon something. 

When the bible says watch and pray, or wait upon the LORD, this is not talking about looking every second of the day for the answers to your prayers.  Faith and trust means that you rest instead of building up stress and anxiety by looking every two minutes to see if God has answered your prayers.

We have to see prayer as a seed.  When you pray it is like a seed that is planted in the heart of God.  When seeds are  planted it takes time for them to sprout, to take root, to grow, to produce fruit.   This is how it is when we pray.  Once we plant the seed of prayer it takes God time to 'work his plan' to bring our petition to pass.

Look at the story of Esther.  They prayed and fasted, but things didn't change just over night.  I know you have prayed and fasted, and it seems like nothing has changed, but you have to learn to rest and wait upon God.  If you do not learn this you will grow weary and give up, it will seem like the days are going by soooooo sloooooowwwww.  

Think about a tomato plant.  You know what you want when you plant a tomato plant, you want a tomato.  Yet, the seed looks nothing like a tomato.  And when you plant it nothing happens at all THAT YOU CAN SEE for a very long time.   Then this green vine comes up.  Wait, that isn't what we wanted at all.  We wanted a tomato.   Do you walk away right then?  Do you give up?  Do you say that planting seeds don't really work?    You have to tend it, water it, nurture it before it grows large enough to produce a tomato.  This is exactly how prayer works.  You plant a seed of prayer, and it seems like nothing is happening.  Then suddenly things start happening and it is nothing at all like you wanted or expected.  A lot of people give up RIGHT THERE, and they don't see their prayers go on to fruitfulness by watching and praying until God had completed his work.   

Galatians 6:9  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.