God, Are You Even Listening?
Niki Hardy
3 min read ⭑
When mum was dying, Lord, I prayed for healing. And got nothing.
As my sister, Jo, fought the cancer, I begged for her life. Again, silence.
And despite my constant asking, I still haven’t heard a definitive “go for it” on this book, even as it goes off to print.
Is the heavenly playlist turned up too loud? Are all your angels drowning out our prayers, or have you shut the door on me, desperate for some peace and quiet?
Can’t you hear us? Are you even listening? What’s the deal, Lord?
There are times when the pain surges forward, the direction seems clouded or our cries for help and healing echo back in hollow silence. We stand with our hands on our hips, chin tilted to the sky, one part mad and one part sad, convinced God’s got earplugs in.
When the Shepherd doesn’t appear to hear his flock, all trouble breaks loose. Sheep wander off, lions pick off weaklings, the injured and hurt go untended, and the last thing other shepherdless sheep want to do is join his herd. Why would they?
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If you feel like you’ve been screaming into a megaphone — asking, seeking, knocking, over and over as Jesus told us to — but God’s on mute with his Do Not Disturb sign tacked to his door, it’s little comfort to know you’re in good company. But once again, we are.
Speaking on God’s behalf, Isaiah assured us God hears our prayers even before we get to “Amen” (Isa. 65:24). Yet David, doubled up in pain, calls to God night and day and hears nothing (Ps. 22:2). If “the man after God’s own heart” thinks God’s not listening, what chances do normal folks like us have?
What’s going on? Is God listening, or isn’t he? Why doesn’t he answer? Or if he does hear our prayers, what’s with the silent treatment? Are we missing something he’s trying to teach us?
Great questions. Let’s chat with God.
God, Can We Chat?
Consider the Facts
What specific incident(s) has caused you to ask this question? (Just the facts, ma’am!)
What’s brought you to the conclusion that God’s not listening to you?
Have you always felt this way, or has something changed?
If so, what changed? Be specific.
Honor the Story You’re Telling Yourself
Get curious about your emotions and inner narrative around this question. In the following exercises, use this prompt: The story I’m telling myself is . . .
Brain dump every emotion and feeling this question (and how you got here) brings up.
Do you see a pattern or story emerging?
What about God’s silence scares, annoys, frustrates, or worries you?
What’s communication between you and God
normally like?
What’s the story you’ve made up about you and God?
Ask God What He Has to Say
Prayerfully ask God to show you how he sees things, including you, and what he might want to say to you as a friend today.
Write a note to God telling him what’s happened and the story about yourself and him that you’ve adopted as truth.
Now prayerfully write a note to yourself as if it’s from God. Try not to overthink it. Simply start with “Dear [your name], this is God . . .” and keep going with what he might be saying to you, even through his silence. As you write, if words, images, or Scriptures come to mind, articulate what God might be saying to you through them.
Team Up with God Moving Forward
As you walk through daily life and face its inevitable frustrations, questions and doubts, how can you intentionally link arms with God and doubt-walk through your unanswered questions?
As you walk with God in silence, what might he be asking you to shift, leave, give up, repeat, hold on to or let go of? If you need his help to do what he’s suggesting, ask him to provide it.
How have you seen God already working in this question even if he still seems silent?
What reassurance do you have from the Bible that God is listening?
A Blessing in the Silence
May the thunderous silence greeting your prayers,
and the urge it creates to shake God awake,
bring you comfort, not confusion, and calm your chattering chaos.
Whether you get still and small or fidgety and chatty,
may his still small voice begin to crescendo
that you might know his loving nearness, come what may.
Niki Hardy is an author, speaker, fresh air junkie and relentless encourager whose newest book, God, Can We Chat? Having left corporate life, gone to seminary, moved continents, planted churches, started businesses and nonprofits, and navigated loss, cancer, church hurt and painful uncertainty, she firmly believes God loves a cheerful doubter. Niki lives in North Carolina with her husband and ridiculous Doodle, Charlie, who is the main reason their three grown kids come home.
Taken from “God, Can We Chat?” by Niki Hardy. Copyright © 2025. Used with permission of Baker Publishing Group.
