I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer (Psalm 66:17-19).

If we want our prayers to be answered, we must be concerned to do God’s will, because God will never contradict his purposes. The psalmist writes, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” 

God does not answer prayers that undermine what’s best for our souls. If we ask God to make our lives pleasant while pursuing sin, his granting of our request would only damage our souls.

God does not turn a deaf ear to sinners’ prayers, rather he listens with sovereign sensitivity to the priorities and affections behind our requests. He is not punishing our sin by his silence but guiding our hearts to his by depriving us of our own selfishness. 

Out of his fatherly care, God’s Word and Sprit convict our hearts of sin, reveal self-deception, and renew our appreciation for fellowship with him. 

If we are paying attention to the way God responds to our prayers, we will understand the misery of selfishness, the goodness of God, and the privilege of praying to One who only listens to prayers that will shower his grace upon us.

Prayer:
Father, make the desires of my heart you own. Help me not to ask you to bless or ignore my sin, but to lead my heart in your paths by how you respond to my prayers.