For some reason, I hold the specific time I was born very dear to my heart. There is no logic to it. I was pleasantly surprised on one of my birthdays, when a friend called at that specific time. I was beyond excited that she remembered! We have all heard this saying before, ‘it’s the little things’. In every type of relationship that we find ourselves in, we are very appreciative of the little things that someone does for us or says to us.
Lately, I have been having this thought, that God isn’t hearing my prayers. There are big things that I have been asking God for a while. Because I am not necessarily seeing the answers to these prayers, I started telling myself that maybe God isn’t hearing me.
However, I have been noticing that seemingly insignificant things that I have been asking, are being answered. The example that made me think of the concept for this post, happened on one of the days that I released content. That specific week, I was feeling down about so many things. Because of that I started to question the relevance of the whole blog: ‘maybe you should just stop’, ‘you are really not doing anything’.
Hearing the Little Cries
I am not sure what exactly I asked of the Holy Spirit, but I did let Him know that I was feeling down and wanted to be okay. The very next morning, Eyram literally tells me, ‘if there is any doubt in your mind whatsoever, don’t listen to it’. Then, Nana Ama also texts on the same day that, ‘ You are blessing many. More than you know. Keep going’.
Another time, I was beginning to feel anxious about a certain social gathering. I was telling the Holy Spirit that I feel very anxious and would rather not go; but since I have to go, He should just help. That day I struck a conversation and built some light rapport with someone I barely knew. The uneasiness that I felt earlier, was virtually gone and I felt calm.
These are two very tiny examples that reminded me that God hears and listens. The mere fact that I was provided words of comfort, for something that seemed so insignificant, shows that He listens to the extent of providing a solution. I was beginning to lose sight of God’s intentionality and care for everything we ask Him. And I mean everything. But these two tiny instances, reminded me that He hears.
Lending a Listening Ear
We all love it when people in our romantic or platonic relationships, cater for the little things that characterize who we are. The attention to these little things shows us that we are surrounded by people who care. If you are privileged to know someone deeply, you will know that the little things really do matter. It warms my heart to know that there is a God who cares for me deeply, to acknowledge and cater to the little things in my life.
The Bible is scattered with verses that show God’s intent to hear our cries. Such verses like Proverbs 15:29 and Psalm 66:17-20, show that God sees the heart of the person who is also making a request. These two verses show God is far from the wicked and those who harbor sin, but is rather attentive to the prayers of the righteous man.
God always looks at the heart of those who seek Him. There are stories of people who weren’t Christians but wanted to know the true God. From the genuineness of their heart God answered their cry. It is important to note that if you come to God with the right posture of seeking Him, you will find Him. If you make a request with the intention of merely testing Him, you may be sorely disappointed.
God and the Universe
The response to our cries, are also not the universe’s response to us. While the Bible tells us that the universe speaks, it speaks to declare God’s glory and the wonders of His hands (Psalms 19:1-4). It doesn’t speak as some people have explained it to be. The universe’s role is not to speak to us. But like us, it is made to declare the wonders of His name. The perceived power of the universe is devoid of relationship. It is subpar to the workings of God that are fashioned to draw us closer to Him. Unlike the universe, God hears and speaks to us to build a relationship. His ability to hear and respond is birthed from a place of loving us. He desires an intimate relationship with us.
He Hears It All
There may be people who haven’t experienced the joy in knowing that God really does hear us. Some people are unaware that a God can speak to His creation. That is the extent of His desire for relationship. There may also be people who are asking God for certain big things, which don’t seem to be heard. Like me, I needed to be reminded that God hears us. He hears our prayers, conversations and cries.
Just because we are not getting answers to bigger questions, when and how we want, doesn’t mean He has stopped listening. He hears every single word. He is also capable of providing comfort and answers to the little things that bother us. That’s because He truly cares about every single aspect of our lives. I am encouraged that He hears the bigger problems, because He acknowledges the little things in our lives. I hope you are encouraged too that He hears every single thing.
His attention to the tiniest details of our lives, proves we serve a living God. Therefore as long as He lives, we can tell Him the little whispers, or the wailing cries of our heart with Hands Lifted High.
Verses
Proverbs 15: 29 NIV – The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Psalms 66:17 – 19 NIV – I cried out to him with my mouth…but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.
Psalms 19:1 – 4 NIV – The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.