If God granted every prayer request, we would be spiritually spoiled brats. Not only that, it would not be loving for God to give us everything we want… when we want it… because we want it. It is a good thing that God both says “No” to our requests and makes us wait extended times before He answers other requests. Consider…
“Providence so ordered it that all that night they should catch nothing, that the miraculous draught of fishes in the morning might be the more wonderful.” Matthew Henry on John 21:3-6.
We need to remember that when we pray, if something is good for us and will glorify God, He will grant the request. If both requirements aren’t met… no matter how hard we pray, how many people pray with us, how much faith we have, or how bad we want something… God will NOT grant the request. As it is written in Ps 84:11, “No good thing does God withhold from those who walk uprightly (Who are in Christ).”
The Apostles fished all night in all the best places with all their expertise… there was not a single fish in the boat. But then… Jesus said (Paraphrased), “You’ve been doing it wrong. Try the other side.” And what happened? There was a haul of fish over and above they imagined could happen. God’s providence of a fruitless night of fishing was worth the one haul that occurred in the morning.
Application: Are your nets empty… after fishing all night? “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone…” (Gal 6:9-10).