I was visiting with a man in our church one day and he told me of a decision he needed to make concerning one of his children. He was asking God for guidance, but God was not showing him anything. He laid out all of the reasons why it was right for him to do what he wanted to do. But it wasn't. He already had made his decision. He just wanted me (and God) to approve it. He was wrapped up in himself and would not consider anything else. He finally blurted out, "I am the head of this house and I will do what I want."
Situations came to my mind where I had also become wrapped up in myself and what I wanted. When I went to God for help, He also was nowhere to be found.
The problem is that a "Big I" has no place in prayer. Whenever you come to God you must usher "Big I" out the backdoor, kick "Big I" out, and bow before the Almighty saying "You are everything, I am nothing. What You want is most important, what I want is not".
When "Big I" is front and center in your prayers, God will not be on the other end. "I can’t stomach anyone who has proud eyes or an arrogant heart." (Psalm 101:5b CEB).
God is against the proud but He is generous to the humble (Proverbs 29:23; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). God has respect for the lowly but the proud He only knows from a distance (Psalm 138:6).
If you want to hear from God, if you want to get close to God, if you want God to bless you, you must humble yourself.
When you do not kick "Big I" out, "Big I" ruins everything.
When "Big I" is in the way, you can talk and plead with God all you want, but He will not be found. You are just wasting your time.
When "Big I" is in the way, you might as well call it a day. You will get nowhere with God.