1-2. What might we wonder about when it comes to our prayers?

 HAVE you ever wondered whether Jehovah is answering your prayers? If so, you are not alone. A number of brothers and sisters have voiced this concern, especially when going through a difficult time. If we are suffering, we too may find it harder to discern how Jehovah is answering our prayers.

² Let us review why we can be confident that Jehovah answers the prayers of his worshippers. (1 John 5:15) We will also consider these questions: Why might it at times seem that Jehovah is not answering our prayers? In what ways is Jehovah answering prayers today?

3. Why does Jehovah want us to pray to him?

³ The Scriptures assure us that Jehovah loves us deeply and that we are precious to him. (Hag. 2:7; 1 John 4:10) That is why he invites us to ask for his help in prayer. (1 Pet. 5:6, 7) He wants to help us to stay close to him and to deal successfully with the difficulties we are facing.

4. How do we know that Jehovah answers the prayers of his worshippers? (See also picture.)

⁴ In the Bible, we often read that Jehovah answered the prayers of his worshippers. Can you think of an example? What about King David? He faced many dangerous enemies throughout his life, and he often sought Jehovah’s help in prayer. On one occasion, he pleaded: “O Jehovah, hear my prayer; listen to my plea for help. In your  faithfulness and in your righteousness, answer me.” (Ps. 143:1) Jehovah answered David’s prayers for deliverance. (1 Sam. 19:10, 18-20; 2 Sam. 5:17-25) David could confidently say: “Jehovah is near to all those calling on him.” We too can have that assurance.​—Ps. 145:18.

5. Did Jehovah’s worshippers in the past always have their prayers answered in the way that they expected? Give an example. (See also picture.)

⁵ Jehovah may not answer our prayers in the way that we expect. That was the case with the apostle Paul. He asked God to remove “a thorn in the flesh.” On three occasions, Paul prayed specifically about this difficult problem. Did Jehovah answer those prayers? Yes, but not in the way that Paul had hoped. Instead of removing the problem, Jehovah gave him the power that he needed to keep serving Him faithfully.​—2 Cor. 12:7-10.

6. At times, why may it seem that Jehovah is not answering our prayers?

⁶ We too may at times receive an answer that differs from what we expect. We can be sure that Jehovah knows exactly how best to help us. He can even “do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive.” (Eph. 3:20) For that reason, his answer to our prayers could come at a time or in a way that we do not anticipate.

7. Why may we need to change what we pray for? Give an example.

⁷ We may need to change what we pray for as we discern Jehovah’s will more clearly. Consider the example of Martin Poetzinger. Soon after getting married, Brother Poetzinger was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. At first, he asked Jehovah to let him out of the concentration camp so that he could care for his wife and resume his preaching work. However, after two weeks, he saw no indication that Jehovah was opening the way for him to leave. So he began praying: “Jehovah, please show me what you want me to do.” He then began to think about what the other brothers in the camp were going through. Many of them were very worried about their own wife and children. Brother Poetzinger then prayed: “Jehovah, thank you for my new assignment. Help me to strengthen and encourage my  brothers.” He spent the next nine years in the camps doing exactly that!

8. What important factor should we keep in mind when praying?

⁸ We must remember that Jehovah has a purpose, and he will fulfill it according to his established timetable. That purpose includes completely and permanently eliminating all problems that cause so much suffering today​—problems such as natural disasters, sickness, and death. Jehovah will accomplish his purpose by means of his Kingdom. (Dan. 2:44; Rev. 21:3, 4) However, until that time, Jehovah is permitting Satan to rule the world. b (John 12:31; Rev. 12:9) If Jehovah were to solve mankind’s problems now, it could appear as if Satan’s rulership were having a measure of success. So while we must wait for Jehovah to fulfill certain promises, this does not mean that he leaves us without help. Let us consider some ways in which Jehovah comes to our aid.

9. How can Jehovah help us when we need to make decisions? Illustrate.

⁹ He gives us wisdom. Jehovah promises to give us the wisdom we need to make good decisions. We especially need godly wisdom when making decisions that will affect the rest of our life, such as whether to remain single or to get married. (Jas. 1:5) Consider the experience of a single sister named Maria. c She was happily serving as a regular pioneer when she met a brother. She says: “As our friendship developed, so did our feelings for each other. I knew I had to make a decision. I prayed long and hard about the matter. I needed Jehovah’s guidance, but I also knew that Jehovah wouldn’t make the decision for me.” She feels that Jehovah answered her prayers for wisdom. How? As she did research in our publications, she was able to find specific articles that helped her to work through her questions. She also took to heart the wise advice of her faithful mother. That advice helped Maria to analyze her feelings. In the end, she was able to make a wise decision.

10. According to Philippians 4:13, what will Jehovah do to help his worshippers? Give an example. (See also picture.)

¹⁰ He gives us the power to endure. Just as he did for the apostle Paul, Jehovah will give us the power we need to endure our trials. (Read Philippians 4:13.) Consider how Jehovah helped  a brother named Benjamin to endure difficult circumstances. For most of his youth, Benjamin and his family lived in refugee camps in Africa. Benjamin says: “I prayed constantly to Jehovah, asking him to give me the power to do what is pleasing in his eyes. Jehovah answered my prayers by giving me peace of mind, the courage to continue preaching, and the publications to stay spiritually strong.” He goes on to explain: “Reading the experiences of fellow Witnesses and learning how Jehovah helped them to endure strengthened my determination to remain faithful.”

11-12. How may Jehovah choose to use our spiritual family to answer our prayers? (See also picture.)

¹¹ He uses our spiritual family. The night before he sacrificed his life, Jesus prayed earnestly. He begged Jehovah to spare him the reproach of being considered a blasphemer. Instead of doing that, Jehovah helped Jesus by sending one of his angelic brothers to strengthen him. (Luke 22:42, 43) Jehovah may also help us by means of an encouraging call or visit from one of our brothers or sisters. All of us can look for opportunities to offer “a good word” to fellow believers.​—Prov. 12:25.

¹² Consider the experience of a sister named Miriam. A few weeks after her husband died, Miriam was home alone, feeling lost and depressed. She was crying uncontrollably and needed to talk to someone. She says: “I didn’t have the strength to call anyone, so I prayed to Jehovah. While I was still crying and praying, my phone rang. It was an elder, a dear friend.” Miriam received comfort from that elder and his wife. She is convinced that Jehovah moved this brother to call.

13. Relate an example of how Jehovah can use those who do not worship him to answer our prayers.

¹³ He may use people who do not worship him. (Prov. 21:1) At times, Jehovah answers the prayers of his people by  moving unbelievers to act in their behalf. For example, he moved King Artaxerxes to grant Nehemiah’s request to return to Jerusalem so that he could help with rebuilding the city. (Neh. 2:3-6) Today, too, Jehovah can move even those who do not worship him to come to our rescue when we are in need.

14. What did you appreciate about Soo Hing’s experience? (See also picture.)

¹⁴ A sister named Soo Hing felt that Jehovah helped her by means of her doctor. Her son suffers from several mental health problems. When he was involved in a terrible accident, she and her husband resigned from their work to care for him. As a result, they had financial problems. Soo Hing said that she felt like a rubber band that was stretched to the limit. She poured out her heart to Jehovah, asking him for help. The consulting doctor took an interest in their case. This led to their receiving government assistance and an affordable place to live. Afterward, Soo Hing said: “We saw Jehovah’s hand in this matter. He truly is the ‘Hearer of prayer.’”​—Ps. 65:2.

15. What helped one sister to realize that her prayers were being answered?

¹⁵ Our prayers are not usually answered in spectacular ways. But the answers we do receive are just what we need to remain loyal to our heavenly Father. So be on the lookout for Jehovah’s answers to your prayers. A sister named Yoko felt that Jehovah was not answering her prayers, but then she began to keep a record of what she asked Jehovah for. After some time had gone by, she looked back through her notebook and realized that Jehovah had answered most of her prayers, even some that she had forgotten about. From time to time, we need to pause and reflect on how Jehovah is answering our prayers.​—Ps. 66:19, 20.

16. How can we exercise faith when it comes to prayer? (Hebrews 11:6)

¹⁶ We show faith not just by praying to Jehovah but also by accepting his answer  to our prayers in whatever form it comes. (Read Hebrews 11:6.) Consider the example of Mike and his wife, Chrissy. They had the goal of serving at Bethel. “We applied as a couple for many years and prayed to Jehovah over and over again about this goal,” says Mike, “but we were never invited.” Mike and Chrissy remained confident that Jehovah knew best how to use them in his service. They continued to do all they could, serving as regular pioneers where the need was greater and supporting theocratic construction projects. Today they are in the traveling work. “Jehovah has not always answered our prayers in the way that we expected,” says Mike, “but he has answered them and in ways that were even better than we could have imagined.”

17-18. According to Psalm 86:6, 7, of what can we be confident?

¹⁷ Read Psalm 86:6, 7. The psalmist David was sure that Jehovah heard and answered his prayers. You can have that same confidence. The examples discussed in this article assure us that Jehovah can give us the wisdom and the power we need to endure. He may use our spiritual family or even those who do not worship him at present to help us in some way.

¹⁸ While Jehovah may not always answer our prayers in the way that we expect, we know that he will answer them. He will provide just what we need and exactly when we need it. So continue to pray in faith, confident that Jehovah will care for you now and that he will “satisfy the desire of every living thing” in the new world to come.​—Ps. 145:16.