Does God hear me?

Question

Im going through a lot of emotional problems and everyone tells me i should pray. But I start to lose hope because I feel like im not heard. My prayers are never answered. Is there a certain way to do it? I try to trust in the Lord but I dont think he hears me. I need him bad. Even though im from a religous family, I still dont know much about the bible and how things work.

Answer 1

God hears all the prayers of the righteous.

Prayers are not answered for two reasons. The first is that you are not abiding in the Lord.

Joh 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (ESV Translation)

The word "abide" is really important. It means to "be at home in."
"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.," said the psalmist (see Psa_119:11)—not in his head, but in his heart.

This is the problem with most of our prayers. Jas_4:2-3 says,
Jas 4:2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Jas 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me," declared the psalmist (Psa_66:18). Why? Because God won't allow us to live in sin that will hurt both us and those around us. Consequently, He says, "I'm going to break communication with you not because I'm angry with you or because I'm giving up on you, but because something's amiss within you that will bring pain into your life and problems into the lives of those around you. So when your prayers aren't being answered or when the Word doesn't seem to speak to you, call upon Me. Let Me come in and cleanse your temple. And then I will teach. Then you will hear My voice. Then you will see My face." I think too many of us minimize the importance of quietly waiting on the Lord and asking Him to search our hearts. Before teaching, there must be cleansing.

We have a tendency to think our prayers are answered in direct proportion to how many times we've been in church, how many times we've had devotions, how many times we've given offering. But nothing is further from the truth. Prayer is not based upon merit. It's based upon mercy.

From John 15:16, we learn that the secret of life is bearing fruit that God may be glorified, not for our own satisfaction, but in order that others might be nourished from the fruit produced in, through, and often, in spite of us! Focus on yourself, and you'll be miserable. Be a lover of God and of people. Get your eyes off your problems and pains, your tears and fears. Look for ways to refresh, satisfy, and bless others—and you'll find the secret of life itself.

From Ga 5:22-23 we learn more three things about what abiding in Christ means.

First, there is production of fruit. "I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing" (Joh_15:5).

Second, there is correction from the Father. "Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit (Joh_15:2).

Some say the purging spoken of here means pruning. Others say "to purge" means "to clean" (Joh_15:3). You see, when a vine was prolific, the branches would become weighed down with an abundance of fruit. Add a rainy season to the picture, and the result would be muddy grapes. Thus, the vinedresser would wash the branches periodically in order that the fruit would remain pure.

What does it mean to be purged? Does it mean to be pruned—or does it mean to be washed? I think it means both. You see, the Lord will cleanse you as you study the Word corporately on Sundays and Wednesdays, intimately in your quiet times with Him, and practically through small-group study with other believers. And He will prune you through trials and difficulties, dark days and hard times.

God is so in love with you, He is committed to teaching you—one way or the other. Let me suggest that you choose to be washed by the water of the Word rather than trimmed by the trials of the world!

Lastly, the third mark of an abiding believer is fruition in prayer. "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you " (Joh_15:7). Answered prayers are indicative of an abiding heart. If your prayers are not being answered, it means you're not in harmony with the heart of God.

You'll understand the heart, nature, and character of Jesus if you're abiding in Him. Consequently, your prayers will be in line with His desires.

In other words, our prayer requests are out of line. When we're not in the Word, we don't know how to pray. Prayer and the Word go hand in hand. As I am in the Word, His words abide in me, and it is then that I know how to pray and for what to ask.

But consider the following:

A Christian hunter is hunting bears in the woods. While walking up a hill he grabs a branch for leverage and it breaks sending the hunter tumbling down the hill, gun flying off elsewhere. When the hunter dusts himself off he sees a huge bear charging him. The hunter begins running, but trips and falls, landing on his knees. Seizing the opportunity, and being a good Christian, the hunter begins to pray, "Lord, make this bear a Christian."

The woods are quiet, the hunter turns and, Hallelujah! He sees the bear on his knees, paws together, praying! Listening, he hears the bear praying, "Father, bless this food to my body."

The key message here is that God answers prayers of the righteous, but the answer you get may not be the answer you want, but it will always be the right answer. Prayer is a coming to God, telling Him your need (or the need of others), committing your way unto the Lord, and then leaving God to deal with the case as seems best to Him.

How should one pray to God?

I speak to God in the same manner as I write these words to you now. That is, I have a plain conversation (no “thou’s” “thine’s”, “thy’s”!) with Him each day, especially out under the stars late at night as my family sleeps. My prayers are conversations that follow a pattern. I start every prayer with the following: "Most merciful God, not my will, but yours, be done." I repeat that phrase often during my prayers. Sometimes I will do so for tens of times just to quiet my mind and make it open to hearing from my Creator.

Use the following pattern in all your prayers and you will see them answered: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. See the links below for more information. (acronym: ACTS)

http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/actsmodel.htm
http://www.powertopray.com/howto/ACTS.html

Answer 2

Kristine, don't lose heart. People in the Bible prayed any number of different ways -- God clearly has no prescribed "right" way to do it. Prayer is simply talking to God. God speaks every language that ever was or will be, and can even hear the silent prayers that you just "think at Him" in your head.

Samuel's mother prayed silently, and Eli the priest got onto her at first because he thought she was drunk. But God answered her.

Stephen prayed an extremely quick prayer as he was dying (being killed), and God not only heard it, He made sure people have still heard Stephen's prayer for the last couple of millennia.

King David prayed by writing some of his prayers as poetry.

Jesus prayed all the time, all His life. Just before He was arrested before His death, He prayed pouring His heart out to His Father with such stress and fervor He actually busted capillaries in His skin, and started sweating blood.

And God always hears your prayers. Someone may ask me if God hears the prayer of a sinner; To them I'd say two things: 1) We're all sinners, so I certainly hope so! 2) God hears everything.

We must be patient, since "God's time is not our time," which means that God has His own scedule, yes, but more than that, God always knows the best time for things to happen. It often doesn't seem like it to us, but then, we're just the creation -- He's the Creator. He's the One in charge, and good thing, too -- He know's what He's doing! Trust Him -- He really does know the best time for things to happen, and also the best things to happen.

One more thing: He can help you with any and all of this -- And will, if you ask. Need help being patient? Ask Him. Need help knowing what to ask for? Ask Him. Need more wisdom? He's already said that He'll give wisdom generously to anyone who asks for it. Anything you want help with -- even understanding your problems, or understanding His answers -- Ask Him!

I hope this helps, and I hope this gives you some encouragement. May God bless you, always.

Barjesse37

Answer 3

You should definitely start reading your Bible every day, so that you can understand things a little better. Matthew 6 contains the Lord's Prayer, which was a model for us to use when we pray. One common hindrance to our prayers is bitterness. Another hindrance is when you treat your wife badly, if you are married (I Peter 2:7). If you ask for the wrong reasons, sometimes God will not answer your prayer (James 4:2-3). God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud. And sometimes the answer is on the way but you just haven't seen it yet. We live in a very instant society with fast-food, microwaves, etc. but God usually doesn't work instantly. Be patient. Don't give up. You may have sin in your life that you need to repent of too. I will pray for you at least tonight.

Answer 4

Religion won't help you when the rubber meets the road. What you really need is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. He died on the cross for your sins so you could have right standing with God. If you confess your sins to God and believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead and confess it with your mouth, you will be saved. In other words, your sins will be forgiven and won't stand in the way of your fellowship with God any longer. Roms.10:9,10.
Also, the God of the Bible is a faith God. You must simply believe that God hears you when you talk to Him by faith. John 10:27 says that those who know Jesus hear and listen to His voice.
If you are a born-again believer and your prayers aren't being answered, there could be several reasons why; you could be in sin, you are asking amiss of God's will, God wants to give you something better than what you've asked for, when you pray you don't pray with faith believing that what you're praying for will happen or come to pass.
It's through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can understand and know the scriptures. Ask God to show you His truth in the Bible. He will never give you a lie.
Remember, whatever you do must come from faith, not works. Rituals in prayer will never get results for you because it's motivated by our flesh, not faith. Faith is simply believing God at what He says. If you don't know what the Bible says, you won't know God or what He says. Faith comes by hearing, and by hearing the Word of God. Rom. 10:17. Put your trust in Jesus because He'll never leave or forsake you.

Answer 5

You say you are "from a religious family but you don't know much about the Bible and how things work."

What I don't hear you saying is that you have accepted Christ as your Savior (Saved, born again). I would suggest that you get informed on how things work (your family's Pastor would be a good place to start).

The bottom line is that if you have not been born again you are still in sin and you need Christ's intersession on your behalf.

Answer 6

Remember that literacy has to do with metaphor. Phonology is what people can tend to use ("study of sounds", this is like what's Hitler's been accused of using to keep Germany in thrall) to drive themselves through without stopping. This is not what prayer is all about. (Matthew 6:7, 8) You've got to stop to realise God's personal attention. If you're not experienced at praying, you could try a psalm.

Psalms 31 is good.

Answer 7

God only hears the humble contrite Prayers . You are Praying to GOD to help you , but you are continuing to carry the burden of your problems on your own . If you Pray and ask GOD for help in a situation , then once you Pray about it and ask The Lord to intervene and take away your pain and misery , when you finish your Prayer you have turned your problem over to GOD , let HIM have it , let HIM work HIS answers out for you. Stop worrying about it . After you Pray and you continue to worry about the problem you Prayed about , that just shows GOD that you Prayed with false Faith . You refuse to let your problem go , and that shows GOD that you don`t believe HE can answer your Prayer and take away your troubles , so it will fall on deaf ears! In Prayer ask GOD for help , then FORGET about your situation and let GOD work in HIS time frame, not yours !! ******* Matthew 21 : 22 .. And all things , whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer , believing , ye shall receive . (Your key word in this verse is "BELIEVING ")..May God Bless you with the Peace and Understanding that only HE can give !

Answer 8

Yes God hears you and he is answering. The question is can you hear him? He always answers its just that we don't like it sometimes. Like when he tells us no or wait. Don't just pray, read the Bible and spend some quiet time where God can speak to you. It is really really hard to start since it is so easy to get distracted. There is no special way to pray just pour your heart out. Try praying some of the Psalms.
here are a couple searches I did on Bible Gateway. Click on anything that speaks to you and read the context.
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=hear%20me&version1=9&searchtype=phrase&spanbegin=23&spanend=23
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=hide&searchtype=phrase&version1=9&bookset=10
plus check out
Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5
Try matthew 26, Jesus knows how you feel.

Answer 9

God has spoken by His messengers and books. If we examine the holy books with some question in recommendations, a real e book will provide the respond regularly in first examining. each and every now and then it takes 3 readings, yet not extra. each and every time I even have examine holy Quran with a question in recommendations, I forever have been given a resounding respond from the holy e book. Many new converts, like Cat Stevens ( Yousuful Islam) switched over purely because of the fact they have been given solutions to their issues. as quickly as you start up believing and praying, you get direct messages from God, that have not have been given any sound or perhaps words, yet you right this moment sense that it extremely isn't any longer your concept, yet a message from the heavens. sooner or later i replaced into praying Tahujjud prayer in Ramadan and mutually as prostrating I begged for an perception of a momin (believer). In a split 2d, I have been given a rebuke from God Almighty, to alter right into a trure believer first. A Momin ( believer) is a lot more desirable to an undemanding Muslim. the adaptation is that of a pupil and a pupil. God needed me to deserve in the previous stressful the believer's perception, which in accordance to a hadis of holy prophet sees from the mild of God and notice issues as they are, (irrespective of their visual charm). Javed Iqbal

Answer 10

The bible teaches that having faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain...have you seen a mustard seed...it is tiny...
Remember...He is an on time God and sometimes we have to wait and sometimes the answer is not exactly what we want but it is an answer...God I want this job...god doesn't give you the job , the answer is no...try again...it's OK...you can type, you have electricity, you are educated...I bet you ate today...Life is good...try to be CONTENT in everything.
Oh, maybe concentrate on others who are in more need than you...God blesses givers...
I'll pray right now...when you read this, I already prayed(me and my husband) and the bible says when 2 or more pray in my name, he hears......there...God bless you!

Answer 11

The lord hears every prayer and knows the heart of every man..He just doesn't always give us what we want...sometimes the answer is NO and sometimes the answer is yes; but in My good time. we should always pray Lord willing or your will be done Lord and not my own.
Sometimes he's just testing our faith, too...seeing if we will continue in His ways or revert to our own.

Sometimes He's just saying...
Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.