How to Trust That God Hears You and Not Fear

Do you believe that God hears you? That HE hears your prayers?

There are days and seasons when it seems like my prayers hit a wall. They just bounce right back down to earth. The Bible is clear, however, that God hears us, so why doesn’t it feel that way?

It Doesn’t Always Feel Like God Hears You

We are looking at 13 promises of God to help us overcome fear and be still in the second part of our 40-day fast.  We all experience fear at times. These 13 verses about fear are special to me, not just because they address the fear we all face, but because they come with promises from God about why we can face the fear.

One fear that keeps me from being still is questioning, “Does God hear you?” or, “Does God see what’s going on in my life.”  Maybe He is preoccupied with bigger things or too busy helping the poor and hungry around the world. 

Sometimes I am guilty of not even praying about certain things because they feel too small to bother God with. How about you?

Today we will see that we can trust that God hears our cries. In that trust lies the ability to be still and not fear.  Kinda perfect for a series on learning how to be still, don’t ya’ think?

What Does The Bible Say About God Hearing Us?

“God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.” (Genesis 21:17 NASB)

Genesis 21:17 finds us in Abraham’s story. Through this character study, we learn what the angel meant when he said,” Be still and do not fear because God hears you.” Through this encounter we meet the Great I Am; I am the God who hears!

Hagar was the servant of Sara. She became the concubine of Abraham in a soap opera-style drama in Genesis.

Some important things to know as we look at the story of Hagar:

• Hagar didn’t ask to get pulled into Abraham and Sarah’s drama.
• As a servant, Hagar didn’t even have a choice about this hard situation.
• Abraham and Sarah acted in fear when they dragged Hagar into their story.
• Hagar had been given a promise from God earlier and called Him the God who sees me (Gen 16:7-13).
• She lost faith in God seeing her when fear set in as I think many of us would.

Related Post: Character Study Sara*

Does God Really Hear My Prayers?

Genesis 21:17 is only one of many times we see the phrase God hears us in Scripture. What Scriptures say God hears you? Here are some examples:

• See more the Lord hears Scripture here.
• See more  Bible verses that say the Lord heard His people and God hears our prayers

I could go on, but you get the picture!  Does God really hear my prayers?  Yes, God hears you!

A New Perspective About Hard Times?

Something I observed from Genesis 21:17 is that the hard situations in your life are not always about you!

We see repeatedly in God hears you Scripture that hard things happen to people (sometimes) to get the attention of other people.

Now we certainly learn from that hard season, but that doesn’t mean God intended it to be ONLY for our benefit.  Many of the difficulties in my life have served to shine God’s joy and light on others around me. 

One of the hardest things in my life (my difficult marriage) serves to minister to women all over the world now. So, What does it mean when God hears you but allows hardship to be part of the answer? He has a bigger story and purpose and we must trust HIM.

Related: 14 Characteristics of a Godly Wife That Will Save Your Marriage

Don’t Hide Your Hard Times

God uses difficult circumstances to grow my faith. Then He lets it spread a testimony that can help others when I live without a mask.

God could have hidden what happened between Sarah and Hagar. He chose, instead, to share all the parts of our history. The ugly parts we see, often remind us to learn and grow and be transparent. When we hide our hard times, we miss the opportunity to shine HIS light to those around us who are also hurting.

Do you hide your struggles or let God’s hand be seen through the process?

When Hard Times Are Not Your Fault

Other times, however, the hard things in my life have been because someone else made foolish choices. When you are related you can get sucked into a wild storm of hard circumstances.  God uses those hard things to teach us so much but we bear the burden of some of those consequences.

Just a side note: There is no such thing as a secret sin that only hurts me, especially when you are married or have kids. God sees and will correct you. Your whole family faces those consequences.

Related: 10 Things to Pray About Gambling in a Christian Marriage

The collateral damage of sin happens in marriage as well as when you are a dependent child praying your parents to make better choices. 

The first time I understood poverty I was 10 years old.  That crazy storm of life had nothing to do with my faith or my choices but everything to do with my parents.  I had no control whatsoever and praise God for the kind relatives and friends who housed me for months while they got stable.

Questioning If God Hears You Is One Enemy Of Being Still

To apply this God hears you Bible verse, Genesis 21:17, we have to see that the fear that God doesn’t hear you is one enemy of being still. That’s a mouthful. Let me try again.

The enemy lies to us, sowing fear that God doesn’t hear us. That lie and that fear makes being still difficult.

When hard things are in your past, fear can take hold.

Hagar, with no control of her own life, had a difficult problem to address.  As a woman, she had no prospects when Abraham sent her away.  She had very little provision and was in the middle of nowhere.

Did you find this mid-series?  Go back here and read the intro and keep up with the series.

Does God Want To Hear From Us?

Have you ever asked, “Does God want to hear from us?”

Remember, Hagar had already been given a promise from God?

She had already called God, El Roi.  The God who sees had seen her crazy messed up situation and promised that her son would live and become a nation. God hears our cries!

What happened to change that promise?

Nothing. 

Fear set in.  Hagar began to doubt that God still saw her.  Or maybe God sees but didn’t hear what was done to her this time.  Maybe God only wanted to hear from people like Abraham and Sarah. 

Can you relate? 

Does God Always Answer Prayer?

Honestly, God has been faithful so many times. This hard situation, however, seems to be going on and on.  Maybe God just doesn’t hear my prayers anymore. That is the fear.

Is the fear a fact? NO. The Bible is clear that God always hears our prayers!

How to Pray So God Hears You:

Can I just point out a fact? Hagar had not even prayed here. 

God says he heard the cry of the boy.  There wasn’t a special prayer method involved.  No priest had to be called.  There wasn’t a midnight vigil needed.

God sees you.

He is Omnipresent (everywhere) at all times and nothing escapes God.

More than that, God hears you when you cry.

God hears you when you pray. 

God listens, God is always listening! The Lord cares about the hard things in your life!

What about when it doesn't feel like God is listening to your prayers? Be still and know Him more.  Rest in His presence until you hear His answer.  Trust that God hears you and position yourself to hear Him more clearly! Share on X

You Can Trust That God Hears Your When You Pray

As we finish looking at Genesis 21:17, I believe the main takeaway is that you can trust that God hears you when you pray.  God is always listening.  

Does God hear me cry?  Yes.  The Bible tells us He keeps your tears in a bottle.  God hears your heart as well as the words you say.  More than that, God hears our prayers before we ask!

What difficult situation have you been crying over?

God hears you and cares.  Your needs are not too small for God, He hears every single prayer. We see countless examples of answered prayers in the Bible. With all that evidence, we have no room to doubt that God is listening!

How Do I Know God Is Listening To My Prayers?

What to do when God doesn’t answer your prayers?

Listen, God answers prayers.

God listens.

God answers prayers in three ways. We believe that HE listens when the answer is, “Yes.” What about when the Lord answers that prayer with a, “No,” or a, “Not Yet?”  Whatever the answer, He does answer. 

God hears me when I pray.  He hears you.  God answers every time.  We just have to trust the answer.

We don’t always understand what He has answered.  Sometimes my mind is so filled with the fear of that difficult situation that I am not in a place to hear God’s voice.

What To Do When You Worry God Isn’t Listening

To hear God’s voice remember what it means to be still (these are the key points from the first part of our study):

• Pray about it more than I worry about it.
• Pray about it more than I complain about it.
• Remember how God has been faithful before.
• Meditate on the blessings of God in my life.
• Rest.
• Mourn the hard things.
• Accept God’s last no instead of trying to shove open that closed door.
• Give God permission to have every area of your life – even this fear.

A Prayer to Trust that God Hears You to Be Still and Not Fear

El Roi,

I know that You see everything in my life.  Forgive my doubt.  If You see then I know You hear.  I’ve cried so many tears over this illness this past year.  I want to trust You with everything but I am afraid.  I have a fear of being sick for the rest of my life.  There is a fear that I will lose my identity and my importance… I hear that pride.  Forgive me.

I am still trying to be appreciated by others and seeking approval from them instead of just You.  Help me be still and trust You.  I give you this fear today.  Replace it with love and trust.  You love me enough to see and hear when I pray.  Thank You.  To You be all the honor and glory.

Amen

Will You Trust That God Hears You And Be Still?

We began with a question, “Does God hear when you pray?”  If you’ve read this far I hope you believe me when I say the answer.  Yes, God hears you when you pray.  God hears you when you cry.  He hears you before you speak the words because he is listening to your heart. 

Does God ever stop listening to you? Never.  Even when there is sin between you and God, even before you accepted God as your Lord and Savior He still listened.  God answers the prayers of the lost, as we see from this story of Hagar, as well as the saved.  

What about when it doesn’t feel like God is listening to your prayers?  

Be still and know Him more.  Rest in His presence until you hear His answer.  Trust that God hears you and position yourself to hear Him more clearly! (A time of fasting could help with that…)

in HIM,

If you enjoyed this post, you will like these: 

• How to Become a Strong Prayer Warrior and Why
• Trust in the Lord to Fix my Marriage
• How To Pray For Our Country With HOPE