Does God Hear My Prayers?

Sometimes it seems like when we pray that God doesn’t hear our prayers. Our situation doesn’t seem to change, and the thing we requested doesn’t happen. Yet Scripture assures us: God does hear, and He does answer—though not always as we expect.

Psalm 34:17-19

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

How do we reconcile this? What’s wrong? Is there unconfessed sin? Am I unrighteous? While it is always necessary for us to examine our hearts to see if there are things that are out of alignment with the Word—seeming unanswered prayers, don’t always mean something is amiss.

Job cried out for relief during his suffering—and received none. Yet God called him ‘blameless.’ Job didn’t know what was happening in the background. He didn’t know the LORD was allowing these difficult things in his life, and allowing his prayers to go unanswered for a higher purpose—His glory.

You see, beloved, our present struggles are not the final word. What feels heavy now is light in light of eternity. God is crafting in us an “eternal weight of glory” far beyond what we can see. So when prayers seem unanswered, remember: we’re not living for the visible, but for the eternal. Our hope isn’t in immediate relief, but in a future glory that will make every tear worth it.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

I’m sure each of us can recall a time, or likely, many times our prayer wasn’t answered the way we hoped, but we saw in retrospect that God had something far better in mind.

Joseph endured betrayal, prison, and silence—yet years later, he saw it clearly: “God meant it for good.” He didn’t say this in the pit or in prison. He said it afterGod brought him through. Maybe you’re still in the trial. You can’t yet see how God is weaving it together. But like Joseph, trust that He is.

Genesis 50:20

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Sometimes, unanswered prayers are God’s way of testing our faith and building endurance.

Romans 5:3-5

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Sometimes unanswered prayers our not only for us, but for others as well.

2 Corinthians 1:3-6

Blessed be God, even the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

We’re told to ask—and Jesus promises we’ll receive. But God answers according to His perfect will, not our preferences. His “no” or “wait” isn’t rejection. It’s protection. It’s provision. He’s not withholding good—He is doing the greatest good.

Matthew 7:7-8

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

What is it that you have asked the LORD for, and haven’t felt was answered? Asking is the right thing to do beloved.

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

But are we asking in line with His will?

How can we know His will? First of all, His Word is His will. Don’t ask anything that is contrary to His Word.

The LORD knows what is best for us, and He will answer us in a way that He knows works towards all the good purpose He has for us.

Jesus gives us an image: a child asking his father for bread.

Matthew 7:9-11

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?

But what if we ask for something we think is good—yet it’s actually harmful? Will God give it?

Sometimes what we see as unanswered prayers, is God protecting us.

He promises He will not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly.

Psalm 84:11-12

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.

Beloved, you can rest assured that the LORD heard and is answering your prayers in the very best way.

Unanswered prayers? Delays? They might just be His mercy in disguise.

There’s a song that describes the mercies of the LORD in disguise. It’s called ‘Blessings.’

The song reminds us to trust the LORD in our hardships and disappointments—knowing they’re not without purpose. It has been my song through many times when I didn’t understand why the LORD was allowing the things He did in my life. Let’s close with the lyrics.

“We pray for blessings; We pray for peace; Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.

We pray for healing, for prosperity; We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.

All the while, You hear each spoken need; Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops; What if Your healing comes through tears. What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near.

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.

We pray for wisdom; Your voice to hear; We cry in anger, when we cannot feel You near. We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love. As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.

All the while, You hear each desperate plea; And long that we’d have faith to believe.

When friends betray us; When darkness seems to win. We know that pain reminds this heart; That this is not our home.

What if my greatest disappointments; Or the aching of this life; Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.

What if trials of this life — The rain, the storms, the hardest nights; Are Your mercies in disguise.”

Father, we trust You. Thank You that Your ways are higher than ours—Your thoughts higher than our thoughts. When our prayers seem to be unheard and unanswered—we thank You that we can be at peace and rest knowing that You are doing something far better than what we can know or imagine in Jesus Name.

#EyesOnHim