What If God Doesn't Hear Me? What Jesus Would Say

Hey, carpool crew. I'm Pastor Justin, and I want to talk about something that might sound kind of quiet, but is actually a really loud fear for a lot of us. What if God doesn't hear me? Have you ever prayed something really big, or really personal, or maybe really hard, and then nothing seemed to happen? Or maybe you thought, maybe I didn't say it right. Maybe God's too busy for me. Maybe it isn't a big enough deal to bother him. Maybe he hears other people, but not me. If you've ever felt that way, I want you to know you're not alone. But let's look at what Jesus actually says about this, so we can see how to deal with it when we're scared. Jeremiah 29, verse 12 says this. "You'll call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." That verse is from the book of Jeremiah. God's people were going through a really hard time, like, is God even still with us, kind of hard. They had messed up. They had drifted away from God and they felt far from him. But God didn't say, yeah, you blew it, I'm done listening. Instead, he made them a promise. If you call out to me, I'll be there for you. I'll hear you. I will listen. And that promise is still true today. If Jesus were sitting next to you while you whispered a prayer and then looked around thinking, did God even hear that? I think he'd look right at you and say, I heard that. I always hear you. You don't need the perfect words. You just need your heart turned toward me, and I'll always listen. A lot of kids think there's a right way to pray, folded hands, eyes closed, fancy words at the dinner table or bedtime. But what about when you're scared in class, when you're sitting alone on the bus, when you're angry or don't know what to say? Those prayers still count. I always think of prayer as an ongoing conversation with God. There's no magic formula. God isn't looking for perfect prayers. He's looking for honest ones. Now, you might be thinking, well, what about the Lord's Prayer? That's a great prayer. Jesus actually gave us that example of how to pray. But you don't only have to memorize it and pray that one prayer. You can always share with God how you're feeling, what's on your mind, and ask him for help. If you're ever scared that God doesn't hear you, here's what I want you to remember. First, he's never too busy. God listens to every one of his kids. You're never forgotten. Second, you can pray anytime and anywhere, quietly, out loud, in your head, in the car, on the bus. God hears it all. And lastly, you don't need fancy words. You can say, God, I'm sad, I need some help. God, I'm confused, I don't know what to do. God, help me, I feel so alone. He hears even the smallest whispers. Prayer isn't about performance, it's about presence. Spend time with God. God doesn't listen because your prayer is perfect. He listens because you are his kid and he loves you. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you like today's podcast, consider going over to Apple Podcasts and leaving us a rating and review. It really helps other parents discover Carpooling with Jesus. Now, before you go, answer this question together. What's something you've prayed for, and how did it feel waiting to hear from God? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.