Crying out about our troubles

http://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/avoiding-obstacles-to-effective-prayer?firstItem=414fdc64-acb5-43be-abf6-5f66da567646

From the CANON on this blog:

Solutions

1. God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem. He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined. The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.

From today's scripture reading:

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
James 1:5-8

From today’s devotional:

Some of King David’s prayers are recorded in the Psalms. There we read how he praised the Lord, confessed sin, and cried out about his troubles. He also asked God to hear his prayers and not be silent.

We all want to pray effectively like David. To do so, we must avoid certain hindrances, such as:

Wavering faith. Doubts about God’s character or dependability diminish our trust in Him. Therefore, we must not allow feelings to dictate what we believe.

Wrong motives (And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:3). Petitions motivated by selfish desires won’t receive an affirmative answer. God wants us to pray for His will to be done—not ours.

Conflict in relationships. Being resentful or argumentative with others will affect communication with the Father.

Lack of generosity (Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. Proverbs 21:13). God is displeased when we ignore people’s needs or give begrudgingly to the church. He hears us asking for a blessing yet sees us refusing to obey Him in our giving (Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19).

Indifference (Proverbs 28:9). Apathy to the Scriptures is another stumbling block. God has given us the Bible so that we might know Him and serve Him wholeheartedly. Failure to read and apply His Word consistently will diminish our ability to maintain a godly lifestyle.

It takes effort and commitment to develop a strong prayer life, but the rewards are great. If your prayers have not been answered, consider which, if any, of the above issues may need correction. Then, start by personalizing the prayers you read in the Psalms or elsewhere in God’s Word.