My dad called as I was getting in the car to head home from work. We hadn’t talked in a few days, so we jumped right into the conversation. We talked about the things he’d been doing all week and the people he’d seen. Then it was my turn. As I continued to talk about my week, I suddenly became aware of his silence. “Dad, are you there?” Turns out the line had dropped some minutes back and I’d just been talking to myself.
Prayer can often feel this way, can’t it? Like we’re talking to an empty line, a phone that’s hung up on us and we’re talking to no one. Have you ever found yourself asking: “Is God really listening to my prayers? Does He really care about little ol’ me?”
The great news about God is His connection to us is way better than any telephone line. His connection is always on, always connected, and always listening.
God is always available, ready to listen to us.
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
We can go to God in prayer at any time of the day or night, and He’ll be there. He’s always waiting for us to approach Him in prayer. When we seek Him, we’ll find Him. That’s His promise to us.
God cares deeply about each of us personally.
When I think about my place in this great cosmic universe, I’m reminded I’m but a speck of dust, a grain of sand. Our lives are but a blink of an eye in God’s timeline. So, does God really care about my life? Does He really know me personally?
I’ve struggled with this question if the God of the universe, the great creator, the Almighty, really cares about my little life and my little prayer concerns. Then, I began to dig deeper into scripture and found such profound promises from God that He loves and cares for each and every one of us.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)
He knew us before we were even born. In fact, He “knitted us in the womb.” He knows us so intimately that He can number the hairs on our heads. I can’t even do that for my own head, much less anyone else!
“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:30-31)
Even when God seems silent, He’s still listening.
He just may be waiting to respond…
in His timing… in His way… to His purpose…
What about when God seems silent? When I don’t feel His presence or hear His response? Is He still listening or has He abandoned me?
We have to remember that God’s ways are bigger than ours. His timeline and vision are beyond our imagination. So, what seems like a long time to answer a prayer to us, may be only a second in God’s time.
We also need to remember that God answers prayers in His ways, not always the way we want Him to. He promises us that when we approach Him with a sincere heart, He will always listen.
God even knows our prayers before we say the words. When God feels distant or silent, lean in and keep praying. Keep coming before Him with your prayers and open heart. Trust that He is listening and will answer your prayers.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:28)
PRAY DEEP CHALLENGE: Think about a time when you doubted if God was listening to your prayers. Why do you think He wouldn’t listen? What changed your mind? If you’re still wondering, read through the verses above and journal what these mean to you.
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Andie Williams says
Thanks for sharing this; I understand feeling alone during prayer.
Visiting from and would love a visit back!
Kathryn says
Prayer can feel very one-sided, but we have to keep leaning in and trusting God is listening.
Candace says
I’m reading through the Psalms right now with Hello Mornings. My greatest takeaway throughout this study so far is that He truly hears me. That is a beautiful and amazing thing that I forget often. Beautiful reminder here :).
Kathryn says
Isn’t it amazing that the God of the universe hears each of our prayers?! I just love that He’s so involved personally with each of us.
kristine says
When I think back about times in my life when God seemed silent, I have to chuckle at myself a little:) It’s always later down the road when we see that He was there all along, guiding in His gentle way. Your words are so true, Kathryn. Thank you for sharing these thoughts today!
Kathryn says
So true – His silence isn’t ever really that He’s walked away. Usually it’s that I’ve stopped listening 🙂
Tai East says
Kathryn, I think we all have felt that THE LORD has been distant in our lives at times, but thank GOD that the promises of HIS WORD remind us of the precious truth that HE is always with us. This series has really breathe so much LIFE into my daily morning prayer time and I wholeheartedly thank you for that! Infinite blessings to you, Love! 🙂
#RaRaLinkup 😉
Kathryn says
I have loved having your voice here in this series! Glad this has blessed you!
Tai East says
🙂
joanneviola says
Kathryn, I am reading in the Psalms each morning with Hello Mornings. This post brought back to mind the verse which I read earlier this morning & which spoke deeply to my heart, “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.” (Psalm 17:6, NLT) What an amazing image to get in our minds – the God of all bending down to listen to us. And He never misses a word. Grateful to have read this post today. Blessings!
Kathryn says
What an image – to think of God bending DOWN to US?! How amazing that He cares so deeply about each of us that He’d come down to our level to hear us.
amypboyd says
So often I feel like He is not listening. Other times I feel like He is listening but refuses to do anything. As I seek Him more and more I know those thoughts are just lies from Satan. I can look back and see how faithful He has always been to me and I can continue to trust Him. Thanks for sharing. (Visiting from Testimony Tuesday)
Kathryn says
Love when we can look in the rearview mirror and begin to see how God has been at work in our lives all along – even when we thought He was quiet or distant. We just have to keep trusting that He’s there.
Ruth says
Thank you for sharing this – I always love reading your posts, so full of wisdom and insight! I really love the verses you chose today and they provide a great source of comfort. God bless, friend!
Kathryn says
Thank you, Ruth! Such encouragement this morning – glad to have you here and glad these words spoke to you.
Linda@Creekside says
Dear Kathryn … I love that He’s always listening with a loving heart. Answering, even though His answer might be ‘no,’ or ‘let’s wait a bit on that one.’
What freedom to release our stuff into His capable hands.
And now? To stop ourselves from grabbing it all back again.
So good to visit with you today, friend!
;-}
Kathryn says
Ah, the hard part of listening is then doing what He asks!
Kelly Balarie says
This is great insight; I loved your analogy. That is exactly how it can feel; we talk and talk but we hear nothing. God does hear though as you so astutely point out. He has it all covered. Cheering your words Kathryn from the #RaRalinkup on Purposeful Faith.
Mary Geisen says
I know we all say often that we are going to pray about something and we do but we feel like we are waiting in a time warp for the answers to come. You are so right when you share that God knows us intimately even before we were born and His timing is the perfect timing each and every time. The patience in the waiting is the way we say-you got this God and I can wait for your plans to be revealed. Blessings today!
Kathryn says
How often do we put our own timetable on prayer? Give God a deadline? The waiting is hard, but it’s also what gets us ready for His answers.
lperkowski says
I have felt this before…felt like God didn’t care about me when something bad happened. When I get through these tough times, though, I realize that He knew what He was doing all along. God know the desires of our heart, but He will only comply if that is His will for our lives. I have started to pray a little differently…I pray that God’s desires for my life become the desires within my heart.
Kathryn says
My little boy got upset yesterday that God wasn’t answering his prayers. When I asked what he’d been praying about, he said he was praying to get a new toy because that would make him feel happier. Hard to explain to a 5 year old, but that’s probably not a prayer God will answer with a toy – but He may get to work on your intention and showing you another way. I’m sure God did hear His prayer, but God’s after a change of heart, not a change of circumstance.
Lux Ganzon says
Funny you should ask. I was just thinking about it yesterday. It seems God can be deaf sometimes. But then again, God is present even in the silence. I need to work on my patience more I think. 😛
Kathryn says
Funny how we jump to the conclusion that God isn’t listening, instead of looking at our own thoughts – if we aren’t praying something in line with His heart or we’re getting too impatient and wanting an answer on our timeline 🙂
Misty Brown says
Thank you for your encouraging post. It’s easy to feel as though God has abandoned us when we endure long waits for answered prayer or feel distanced from Him. We should seek His face even more in these times and continue to trust His Word when He said He will never leave nor forsake us.
Kathryn says
Oh those long waits. I’m in one now, but this time God’s been showing me the process of how He’s using the wait to make me ready for the answer. As hard as the wait is some days, it’s a great lesson that God is still there and still answering – just in His way and His time.
sarahgirl3 says
Oh I hate when that happens! I never thought of prayer like that, but yes it does feel like that sometimes. It’s one thing to know God is listening but another to believe it.
Kathryn says
Quite another thing, indeed! Crazy how we can pray and pray without really believing God might truly be listening and answering.
hollythewoo says
I don’t know that I’ve ever thought God wasn’t listening, but I know that I have trouble being patient. How much more patient is He with me!!?! Thanks so much for sharing your insights with us at Grace & Truth.
Kathryn says
The patience is the hardest! I so want to have an answer already, yet He has a better plan if I’ll just be patient and keep praying.