When my prayers don't "go" anywhere

Sometimes when I pray I feel as if my prayer doesn't go anywhere. I'm never really sure why...but it just feels that way.

I'm sure that God hears EVERY prayer that one of His children pray. So why does it seem like it falls flat on the floor?

I've wondered that so often...is it something I've done? Is there sin in my life that is affecting my walk with God? I know that God hasn't turned His back on me...His promise is that He will never leave me or forsake me. So, why do I get that feeling that my prayers haven't gone anywhere?

I've come to the conclusion...maybe I'm wrong...I'm not a Bible scholar...that SOMETIMES God want us to really call on Him...to bear our souls...to come to him with no pretense or pride, to come to Him fully aware that we can do NOTHING on our own-reliant on HIM for everything...as a little child is completely helpless alone. TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!!!

That's what happened tonight. I prayed from the depth of my soul, out loud, in front of people.
I'll admit it...as my turn approached to pray, I was "rehearsing" what I'd pray about. I guess that's not necessarily wrong, to have an idea of what is on your heart and what you want to seek God's face about. So I started out, thanking God for this and that, praying for this family, then our family until the realization came to me. I NEEDED TO BE PRAYING FOR ME. Not for material needs, job needs, health needs...I needed to pray for spiritual needs. God filled me with the truth that I needed to start praying FOR SOMEONE to change....ME! Change my sinful heart, my selfishness, my lack of faith sometimes. Change my ATTITUDE! In praying to the Lord to change other people, I've completely disregarded the need to change ME. Perhaps by God changing ME, I might find out that others might not need to change so much.

I'd been feeling a bit like my prayer doesn't change anything. Where's the answer that I've been looking for? Where is the big change I've been expecting to happen in other people? Why hasn't God worked the miracle in other people? Possibly God has been trying to work a miracle in ME.

I entered God's Throne Room tonight. I felt like I was right in the middle experiencing God's undivided attention. I honestly don't think I've experienced that kind of a prayer experience for quite a while in my life and THAT'S A SHAME. He has been there, waiting for me all the time.