Do you ever feel like you pray the same prayer day after day? Do you ever wonder if God is tired of hearing it, or if He’s even listening at all? With billions of people on this planet, have you ever caught yourself thinking, “Why would God pay attention to me?” If so, you’re not alone. I’ve wrestled with all these thoughts too. It’s discouraging to feel unheard, especially when we’re praying from a place of longing or pain.
However, here is a secret I am going to let you in on: God does hear us (we will talk about that soon). Also, we often forget the truth that our feelings don’t always reflect reality. A delayed answer is not a denied answer. God’s silence is not His absence. In a world obsessed with instant results, patience is a fruit many of us, including me, are still learning to grow.
Today, I want to share some encouragement for those seasons when it feels like God is quiet.
God Hears You. Every Time
With more than 8 billion people in the world, it’s easy to wonder how God could possibly hear us all. I can barely focus in a room with ten people talking! But that’s the difference, we are earthly; God is not. John 3:31 reminds us, “He who comes from above is above all… He who comes from heaven is above all.” God is not limited the way we are. His attention is not divided. His hearing is not strained, and His capacity is infinite.
Psalm 18:6 gives us a beautiful promise: “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry came before Him, into His ears.” God hears you in your distress just as clearly as He hears you in your joy. Whether you’ve been praying the same prayer for days or for years, don’t give up. The world may try to convince you that your prayers are pointless, but heaven hears every word. Keep praying. Keep trusting. God has not turned His ear away from you.
Do you remember the story of Hannah? Her story is so beautiful. She cried out and prayed repeatedly for a long time to God about being childless. I am sure Hannah wondered if God was hearing her. She vowed to dedicate her son to God if he would grant her prayer. He did, and she gave birth to Samuel.
Then, when King Herod imprisoned Peter, the church prayed without ceasing for him. Their prayers were answered when the angel came and rescued Peter.
However, Paul tells us about the thorn that he prayed that God would not remove. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“
God’s Timing Is Always Perfect
Most of us want two things when we ask God for something: a sign that He heard us, and assurance that it will happen. And if you are like me, you would like both preferably soon. That desire partly comes from the fast-paced culture we’re surrounded by. But God doesn’t operate on human schedules. We see only a moment; He sees the entire story. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Not our time, but His time. And His time is the perfect time.
God’s timing is never random, never accidental, never delayed by mistake. Isaiah 60:22 echoes this truth: “When the time is right, I, the Lord, will make it happen.” When we don’t understand His timing, we can still trust His heart. God wants us to call out to Him in prayer. He invited us to have that communication with him.
Do you remember in the Bible when Jesus died, and the temple veil was torn? We have open access to communicate directly with God. God is attentive to hear us. He is always close to us. Someone once told me that sometimes we don’t hear God because He is right next to us. When we are next to someone, we don’t have to speak loudly; we just have to speak. At times, I wonder if God is speaking to me softly, but the noise of the world overpowers His still, soft voice.
Another verse that gives me the promise that God hears my prayers is one of my favorites, found in Psalm 56:8, which reminds me that “God bottles my tears.” This verse shows me that God knows of my pain and my joy. If He knows, He must hear me. My tears are not wasted. He preserves them, remembers, and values my emotions.
So if He hears and remembers, then we need to trust His timing.
Stay Obedient While You Wait
So, you feel like you have been waiting for an answer from God. Now what? How do we live between prayer and answer? The in-between time can be the hardest. Waiting in silence and the unknowing of God’s plan is often scary and unsettling. So, what do we do in the waiting?
Two simple words: stay obedient.
Obedience means recognizing God as the ultimate authority and submitting to His will, even when it’s not what we expected or hoped for. As Christians, our faith isn’t just what we believe; it’s how we live. We are called to seek the things above (Matthew 6:33), and when we align our thoughts with God, our desires begin to align as well. Obedience also grows through Scripture. God’s Word is living and active; it shapes us, corrects us, strengthens us, and reveals new truth every time we return to it.
Consistency in the Word and in living it out builds spiritual maturity and prepares us for whatever God has planned. But let me be clear, obedience does not come easily or immediately. It is the thing we must choose each day to aspire to.
Obedience is what we are called to do, especially in the waiting.
Jodi’s Take Away for Can you hear me, God? :
Waiting is hard, deeply hard. I have questioned God’s love in seasons of waiting too. If He loves me, why make me wait? Why not answer now? But even in those moments, God is working in ways I cannot see. I pray this devotion strengthens your faith and, maybe, your obedience in waiting. Ephesians 6:10 encourages us: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” And as you wait, don’t forget God hears, and it’s in His timing. It will help you stand firm on the solid rock, even when the waiting stretches long.
I’m praying for you. Let’s keep trusting God, waiting well, and making much of Him as we walk through this life together.
Closing Prayer
Lord, I lift up every person reading this prayer. In our seasons of waiting, help us remain faithful, patient, and obedient to You. Guide our steps and shape our lives so that Your love is evident in all we do. Give us a deeper longing for Your voice above the noise, the hurry, and the distractions of this world. Open our hearts, minds, and ears to recognize Your presence in moments of calm and stillness. May everything we think, say, and do bring honor and glory to Your name.
In Your holy name I pray, Amen.
Jodi has often contributed to the pastormarkrogers.com website. Her first article, “Do you dare to crave?” can be found by clicking here.
Jodi Tollie
Jodi is a member of Lighthouse Baptist Church. She was born and raised in Jackson County, NC. Jodi has worked in the medical field for 21 years and is currently a medical assistant at WCU office. She has also appeared on the Light1031 podcast.
