God Who Hears

Do you believe God hears your prayers? Does He listen to what you have to say? Let’s be honest, sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. Over and over in the Psalms, the writer pleads with God to listen, to hear his prayer. But what does it mean for God to hear us when we cry out to Him?

From time to time someone from the congregation will come see me to talk about a concern they have in the church. Later they may tell someone that I didn’t listen to them, or they didn’t feel heard. Often what that really means is they didn’t get what they wanted. It’s entirely possible to listen to someone attentively but not agree, or to determine no action is needed. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t listening.

So it is with God. Just because God doesn’t do what we ask Him to do doesn’t mean He isn’t listening or that He’s deaf to our concerns. It simply means what we want isn’t what God knows is best. Just like children don’t get everything they want from wise parents, sometimes God has to say no for our own good. But don’t misinterpret that as not caring or not listening. He says He hears our prayers. Sometimes we must believe that by faith, even when we don’t get what we want.

– Pastor Bryan Clark, helping to keep you connected to the God who hears us