You finish saying your prayers. You are still, quiet and listening for an answer. Nothing. The next time you pray, same thing. You ask yourself, "Is God really listening to me?" Of course, the answer is yes. You already knew that. The question shouldn't be, "Is God really listening to me?" It should be, "Am I really listening to Him?"
Each of us recognize and receive answers in so many different ways. If you are a parent, you know that each child comes with very different personalities. They need to be disciplined differently. They need to be praised differently. They need to be loved differently. Thus, it is with God's children. We may hear our Father in different ways than our brother or sister.
His timing
The first thing we need to remember is that God answers us in His own timing. But just because you may have not received an answer yet doesn't mean you can't recognize that He is listening.
Pray for help
We can start by asking our Heavenly Father for help in recognizing answers to our prayers. He may have tried getting through to us several times, and some extra effort on our part may be all it takes.
Be Still
Our daily lives may be full to the minute with work, school, chauffeuring, cooking, laundry, homework among other things. As we fill our days with these crucial things, it's important to take time every day to quietly reflect on our spiritual self. It's hard to recognize an answer or to simply feel of His love if we are too busy.
Tender mercies
Public speaker and educator, David Bednar said, "The tender mercies of the Lord are real, and they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord's timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them."
Simple acts of kindness, a friendly smile, or enjoying the beauty all around us are all examples of tender mercies. I believe each one of us receives several tender mercies on a daily basis. Have you noticed them?
Yes, God is listening to you. He knows your needs. He knows your heart. How well do you know Him? Our relationships with our Father can always be improved, especially if we are listening to Him.
