Are you going through a difficult time right now?

Have you ever prayed to God and wondered when He will answer you or questioned if He even hears your prayers? Over the years, I’ve asked myself this question on numerous occasions. I’ve come to a conclusion and I want to share my thoughts with you as I’ve wrestled through whether or not God hears our prayers.

He does. I can assure you of this much. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I was on my knees asking God to help me. I admit that over 30 years I gave myself some bad mental habits, of which anxiety came out of them. I learned through prayer and experience with God that He was with me in my moments of challenge, adversity, and anxiety.

Why is this important?

God may not be answering your prayers because of your anxiety. Anxiety is a bodily symptom that is an outflow of either a lack of faith or trust that God won’t do what He promised he would in your life.

Philippians 4:6 tells us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The key point the Apostle Paul makes is “let” — If you don’t tell him, you have every right to be anxious. If you do, then don’t be… He’s got your back. Still, it may not be the way you want. The answer will be according to His will for your life, not yours.

That is why faith and trust are vital!

The Psalms are an incredible book of hope and inspiration. Most of them were written because those who came before us struggled with the same questions you and I do. They are full of God’s promises to us.

In every instance of adversity, God is challenging us to trust Him more and not take matters into our own hands. That is easier said than done. I’ve been there and done that, and refuse to no longer allow myself to go there.

Only through time and spiritual maturity does one begin to recognize what is happening and how God may be responding to you.

In Psalm 20, King David writes a prayer in the form of a liturgical composition. He’s preparing to enter battle with his army. The odds are not good. The Psalm has two main parts:

Part 1: A plea to God

1 May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And support you from Zion!
3 May He remember all your meal offerings
And accept your burnt offering! Selah

4 May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill your whole plan!
5 We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your desires.

Part 2: David’s confidence in God

6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the [e]saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some praise their chariots and some their horses,
But we will praise the name of the Lord, our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.
9 Save, Lord;
May the King answer us on the day we call.

What I want you to notice in David’s prayer is this…

  1. He was specific about what he asked God for.
  2. He tells God that He has faith to know his prayer was heard and praises Him ahead of time by faith.

The key to all of this is that David “knew” God. in 1 Samuel 13:14, it says that he was “a man after God’s own heart.” Still, we know he wasn’t perfect and that he committed some of the most awful sins. Psalm 51 is the king’s response to his atrocious behavior.

What does it mean to be a person after God’s own heart? The statement signifies that David knew God and sought Him continually. He valued the things God valued. He repented quickly of his sin and turned back to God.

When we “know” God we have the assurance that He has heard our prayers.

Will he answer them in the time and in the way we want?

Maybe or maybe not. Regardless, it doesn’t mean He hasn’t heard your prayers. If He hasn’t yet responded to your requests, God wants you to be stretched. He wants you to keep asking. He wants you to trust Him.

Every challenging experience you have ought to force you to ask yourself…

Am I fully willing to surrender this adversity to Christ and trust Him completely or not?

God promises to hear our prayers. The question is, will you reach out and grab the promise through your actions or not? If you don’t, is that on you or God?

Why do I say all of this?

Because I have experienced these things in my life. If I can learn to embrace challenges, adversity, trials, and suffering and grow closer to Christ for them — you can as well.

Blessings to you,

Deacon Father Don