And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
When things are awry in life—whether we are experiencing a long uninterrupted streak of misfortune, or we are simply having a bad day—we generally like to have someone listen to us. We are not usually looking for a quick fix (in fact, it is fairly rare that we are looking for such). Instead, in difficult times we crave being heard. We just want a friend who will listen to our troubles. This is true in any human relationship. It is important for each of us to have people who will hear us when we are in need of being heard.
The people of God are blessed in many, many ways. One of these blessings is having a God whose ear is inclined toward his people. Our God is one who answers when we call. He is a God whose concern is for those he has created. Therefore, God is eager to listen to us, regardless of the situation in our lives. This is especially comforting in those times where things are desperate and dire. To know that the Creator of the universe is attentive to our cries is a blessing that we cannot measure.
“I cried out to the LORD,” wrote the psalmist, “and he answered me from his holy hill.” If anything, God is perfect in keeping his promises. And he is faithful in listening to us. Cry out to God, then, and be confident that he will hear.
–Ricky