Title

Cherished Sin, Prayer’s Hindrance

Scripture
If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer
(Psalm 66:189.)
Devotional
The New International Version translates verse 18 this way, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” The message is clear; we are unable to hold onto cherished sin and God at the same time. You cannot be a thief and ask God to increase your finances. You cannot be dabbling in pornography and ask God to bless your marriage. You cannot work lazily and solicit the guidance of God in business. You cannot seek the love of God and hate your brother at the same time. You will have to let go of one or the other. You cannot have both. Fortunately, the solution is simple; confess your sins to God. Ask Him to grant your repentance. He will. Then you can say with the psalmist, “Certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.”