We can be left feeling bewildered by our unanswered prayers. God at times seems unwilling to answer our prayer according to our expectations and timing.
Jesus’s disciples asked him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). He also told a story about a man who pestered his neighbor for some bread (Luke 11:5-8). In the end it wasn’t the fact that the neighbor gave his bread to this man because the man knocking was his neighbor, it was the man’s persistent knocking and request.
However this doesn’t mean that God is more inclined or motivated to grant us our request because we have pestered Him or because of our persistence rather than his love for us. The story illustrates that we have the freedom to ask God but it does not dictate God’s response to us. God is not a servant waiting for a list of things we want or tasks we want done, neither does He need us or define our needs or offer solutions, or tell him when and how He should act.
But God is eager for us as His children to form a habit of asking for His help (Luke 11: 9-10). That still doesn’t mean He will be guided by our limited knowledge and understanding of our circumstances (Luke 11:11-13). God will answer our prayers. He does answer our prayers, in His time according to His plan in His own way.
He wants and asks us to trust Him to supply our needs and when to supply them. God knows our needs before we (Matthew 6:8). Our calling is to ask persistently and if we surrender our hearts and wants, we can grow in the process.
Our persistent request of needs or wants causes us to turn to God often without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and in turn God will use that to grow us in the process (Romans 8:28) for “… we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)
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The Kedge Anchor 
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