Does God answer our prayers?

Have you ever known someone who truly trusted God? When I was an atheist, I had a friend for whom prayer was a regular thing. Every week she told me about some problem she had with faith that God would take care of that problem. And I saw every week how God extraordinarily answered her prayers. Can you imagine how hard it was for me – an atheist – to see this week after week? After a while, the “coincidence” argument seemed pretty weak.

Why did God answer the friend’s prayers? The biggest reason was that she had a relationship with him. She followed God and listened to him. She said God had the right to rule her life, and she even welcomed it! Her prayers were a natural part of her relationship with God. She had no problem going to God with her needs, worries, fears, and anything that came her way. She was convinced that God wanted her to rely on him completely in everything.

The verses guided it: “And we have firm confidence in him that he hears us whenever we ask for something according to his will”    and  “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, his ears are attentive to their supplications, but the face of the Lord is against what they do wrong.”

Why doesn’t God answer everyone’s prayers?

Maybe because they are not in a relationship with God. They know that God exists, and sometimes they ask him for something, but their prayers are not answered because they have no close relationship with him. Moreover, they may be living in their sins without experiencing God’s forgiveness.

You ask what sins have to do with prayer. Here is the explanation: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is not so short that it cannot save, and his ear is not so deaf that it cannot hear. It is your sins that have become an obstacle between you and your God, and your sins have covered his face from you so that he does not hear…

How prayer works

If you want God to hear you, you must first establish a personal relationship with him. Why? Imagine a situation where you ask the president to finance your university studies. If you don’t know the president personally, you probably won’t get any money for your studies. But if you are the president’s son – that is, you are asking your father – there would be no problem with your request! The relationship is important.

When a person is a child of God and belongs to God, God knows him and hears his prayers. Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd.” I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.” He goes on to say: “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will not perish forever, no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

So when it comes to God, do you know him and does he know you? Do you have a relationship with him that would answer your prayers? Or do you have some idea about him, but he is distant from you, and you live your life without him? If God is distant from you, or you are not sure if you are his child, here you will learn how you can establish a close relationship with him: Would you like to know God personally?

Surely God will answer your prayer?

For those who know him and rely on him in everything, Jesus’ generous and extravagant offer applies:  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.”   ” Abiding ” in him and allowing his words to abide in us means that we live our lives according to him, relying on him and obeying what he tells us. Only when we live in such a close union with him will we be able to ask for anything we want? For as it is written: “We have firm confidence in him that he hears us whenever we ask anything according to his will.” And if we know that he hears us whenever we ask for something, we also know that we already have what we asked him for.”   God answers our prayers according to his will (and also based on his wisdom, love for us, holiness, and many other factors).

We saw in the previous verse that God will always answer those prayers that are by his will. However, sometimes it may seem to us that we know God’s will, but it may not be so. We assume that there is only one correct “answer” to our prayer, and therefore we believe that THIS should be God’s will. This is exactly where it all gets messy. We live in limited time and with limited knowledge. We have only limited information about the given situation and its consequences and impacts in the future. However, God’s understanding is unlimited. After all, only he knows how some things will develop in life or history. God may have purposes that are far beyond our understanding and that we cannot even imagine. The fact that we have concluded that something must be his will does not mean that God will act that way.

What does it entail? What is God willing to do?

There is an awful lot that we could write about God’s intentions for us. The entire Bible describes what kind of relationship God intends to have with us, and what kind of life he wants to give us. Here are just a few examples:

“The Lord waits to have mercy on you, he rises to show you mercy; for the Lord is a God of justice; blessed is everyone who waits for him.”   Do you get it? As someone who is getting up from his chair to come to your aid, so the Lord is getting up to “show you mercy”!

“With you, I will surely break through the enemy’s ranks, with my God I will also jump over the wall.”

“The Lord delights in those who fear him, in those who rely on his mercy.” 

However, the greatest manifestation of his love and devotion is this:  “Greater love has no one than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  This is exactly what Jesus did for us!

“What can I add to that? If God is for us, who is against us? How could he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, not give us everything with him?” 

What about “unanswered” prayers?

It is obvious that people get sick and even die, have real financial difficulties, and experience very difficult situations. What about that?

God tells us to cast all our cares on Him. Even if the situation seems hopeless,  “Throw all your worries on Him, for He will take care of you.” [13]  Sometimes it may seem to us that the circumstances are out of control and there is no way out – but this is not true. When it seems like the whole world is falling apart, God holds us in his arms. It is then that we should be most grateful for knowing God. “The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with Thanksgiving present your requests to God in your prayers. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” 

God often provides unexpected solutions to our problems. Many Christians can attest to this from personal experience. Even when circumstances don’t change, God can give us supernatural peace amidst the challenges. As Jesus promised, “I give you my peace, not as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or afraid.”

In difficult moments, God asks us to trust him, living by faith rather than our circumstances. This trust is like a car passing over a bridge – despite the driver’s feelings or thoughts, the vehicle’s safe passage ultimately relies on the strength and structure of the bridge, which the driver trusts to hold it.

Likewise, God wants us to trust in his strength, his character…his compassion, his love, his wisdom, his justice. God is on our side! He says: “… I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have kept you in favor.” and “People, hope in him at all times, pour out your hearts before him! God is our refuge.”

As God’s children, we have the privilege of bringing our prayers to Him, believing that He will care for our needs according to His will. When facing struggles, we are invited to cast our worries on Him and receive His supernatural peace. Our hope and faith are rooted in God’s nature, and as we deepen our understanding of who He is, our trust in Him will grow.