Bible Scriptures on God Answering Prayers
Summary
Our attention often wanders, but God hears our prayers. Scripture connects His favorable response with humility, repentance, faith, forgiveness, sincerity, and obedience to His will. Nehemiah models confession and reverence, while other passages encourage righteous living and wholehearted seeking. Attentive prayer means setting aside distractions, examining our motives, and making time to listen. Rather than directing God, we approach Him ready to serve and surrender our lives to His purposes.
A Sermon Half Heard
The couple usually attended a worship service together. One Sunday, she was sick. When her husband returned from the service, she asked what the sermon was about. He responded, “It was about sin.”
Our Own Inattention
Perhaps he wasn’t paying close attention during that part of the service! I haven’t always been attentive when my wife was talking to me. Based on our behavior, we husbands must think being inattentive is part of our job description!
Distracted by Our Phones
I have repeatedly seen young people looking at their phones say, “Aha,” or something like that, when someone is talking to them. If asked what the person said, they would have no idea.
The Attention We Hope For
What if God paid our prayers the same attention that we pay when others are talking? Would we be satisfied with that? I, for one, would not. I hope for better than that.
God Hears Our Prayers
God’s attentiveness is always associated with hearing prayers. That is the context whenever the word describes Him. God hears every prayer but does not always respond favorably.
Humility and Repentance
His attentiveness and favorable response have conditions. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).
When Repentance Is Missing
God treasures people’s repentant prayers. But he often listens in vain. “I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle” (Jeremiah 8:6 NIV).
Nehemiah’s Prayer
Nehemiah confessed the sins of God’s people after asking God to pay close attention to his prayer (Nehemiah 1:6). He asked God again to be attentive to the prayers of His servants who delight in revering His name (Nehemiah 1:11).
God’s Care for the Righteous
Similarly, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry” (Psalm 34:15 NIV), and “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12 NIV). God hears the prayers of stumblers trying to obey Him.
Bible Scriptures on God Answering Prayers
God responds positively but not necessarily immediately to those who forgive others (Mark 11:25), pray in faith (Mark 11:24), humility (2 Chronicles 7:14), unselfishly (James 4:3), sincerely (Psalm 145:18), according to His will (1 John 5:14), to honor Jesus (John 14:14), to pursue wisdom (James 1:5), without senseless babbling (Matthew 6:7) or trying to impress others (Matthew 6:5), remaining in Christ and His word (John 15:7), seeking Him wholeheartedly (Jeremiah 29:13), and living to please Him (1 John 3:22).
Giving God Our Full Attention
When you pray, what competes with giving God your full attention? Are you doing all the talking? Are you listening? Are you telling God what to do? Are you reporting for duty as a living sacrifice?
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