Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers with Dr. Erwin LutzerWhy Doesn't God Answer My Prayers with Dr. Erwin Lutzer
Crossroads with Jenny Bushkell
Jenny Bushkell talks with Dr. Erwin Lutzer about why prayers can seem unanswered and how believers can keep trusting God through disappointment, suffering and addiction. The conversation focuses on prayer as a way of drawing closer to God, even when his answers are delayed or different from what was hoped for.
25:01•16 Jul 2026
Why God Seems Silent: Dr. Erwin Lutzer on Unanswered Prayer and Faith
Episode Overview
- Unanswered prayers may carry “hidden purposes” that are more significant than an immediate yes.
- Prayer is described as primarily drawing near to God rather than simply getting requests granted.
- Believers are encouraged to keep praying even when disappointed, using examples like Paul’s thorn and Jesus in Gethsemane.
- Teaching that blames sick people for a lack of faith is challenged as misleading and harmful.
- Praising God in hardship and surrendering to his will is presented as a deep expression of trust, especially for those facing addiction, grief or long-term struggle.
“If you still have a pulse, you have a praise.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety and faith when heaven feels silent? This conversation on Crossroads with Jenny Bushkell heads straight into that question, speaking to anyone who’s prayed hard for healing, prodigals, or freedom from addiction and felt like nothing happened. Jenny chats with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of The Moody Church and author of *Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers? A Biblical Guide to God’s Hidden Purposes*.
With a mix of warmth, humour and solid Bible teaching, he tackles the disappointment many believers feel when prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. As he puts it, “If you still have a pulse, you have a praise,” reminding people that faith can hold steady even when circumstances don’t shift. You’ll hear them talk about longed‑for healings that never came, and why ideas like “you didn’t have enough faith” can wound people who are already hurting. Dr.
Lutzer stresses that “the purpose of prayer is not just to get our requests answered. The purpose of prayer is to get us to God,” using examples like Paul’s thorn in the flesh and Jesus in Gethsemane to show that God’s “no” can carry eternal weight. The episode also touches on mental health and addiction through mention of his daughter Lynn Rausch’s counselling work and podcast, which digs into “the weeds of life” such as relationships and various addictions.
Jenny adds her own story of praying for a friend’s salvation for around twenty years, only to see that prayer answered much later, giving hope to anyone who’s been interceding for loved ones. If you’ve ever wondered whether God cares, or felt ready to stop praying for sobriety, restoration or direction, this honest, Bible‑soaked conversation might help you see unanswered prayers from a very different angle.
What would happen if your focus shifted from getting what you want to getting closer to God himself?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.