Unanswered Prayer

In chapter 7 of God on Mute, Pete Greig begins to offer reasons why some prayers aren't answered.

1. Common Sense: Some prayers aren't answered because they're just plain stupid.
2. Contradiction: Some prayers aren't answered because they contradict other prayers.
3. The Laws of Nature: Some prayers aren't answered because they would be detrimental to the world and to the lives of others.
4. Life is Tough: Some prayers aren't answered because creation is "subjected to frustration" and has not yet been fully "liberated from its bondage to decay" (Romans 8:20-21). Tragically, life in such an environment is inevitably going to be acutely difficult at times.
5. Doctrine: Some prayers aren't answered the way we think they should be because our understanding and expectations of God are wrong.