Watchtower Study, Week of January 29 to February 4, 2024, Will Jehovah answer my prayers? Underlined Answers.

Watchtower Study, January 29, February 4, 2024, Will Jehovah answer my prayers?, Underlined Answers.

“You will call to me, you will come to me in prayer, and I will listen to you” (JER. 29:12).

1, 2. Why might we feel that Jehovah does not answer our prayers?

“MAKE the Lord your greatest delight, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). What a beautiful promise! But does that mean that Jehovah will immediately give us everything we ask for? It is good that we ask ourselves that question. Because? Think about the following situations. A single sister tells Jehovah that she wants to go to the School for Kingdom Evangelizers, but years go by and the invitation does not come. A young brother who is very sick asks Jehovah to heal him so he can do more in the congregation; However, his health does not improve. Some parents pray for her son to continue in the truth, but he decides to abandon her.

2 Perhaps you have asked Jehovah for something that you have not received. This may lead you to think that Jehovah answers other people's prayers but not yours, or that he does not give you what you ask for because you did something wrong. A sister named Janice felt that way. b She and her husband told Jehovah that they wanted to go to Bethel. Janice says, “I was convinced they would call us soon.” But months and years passed, and they received no invitation. She says: “I felt sad and confused. I wondered how I had failed Jehovah. I had been very specific with my prayers, and I didn't understand why he hadn't answered me.”

3. What will we analyze in this article?

3 We may sometimes wonder if Jehovah hears our prayers. Some faithful servants of God in the past wondered the same thing (Job 30:20; Ps. 22:2; Hab. 1:2). What can convince him that Jehovah answers his prayers? (Ps. 65:2). To answer that question, we will first consider the following ideas: 1) what we can expect from Jehovah, 2) what Jehovah expects of us, and 3) why it may be necessary to change some of our requests.

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM JEHOVAH

4. According to Jeremiah 29:12, what has Jehovah promised us?

4 Jehovah promises that he will hear our prayers (read Jeremiah 29:12). Our God loves his servants and never ignores his prayers (Ps. 10:17; 37:28). But that doesn't mean he's going to give us everything we ask for. We may have to wait until the new world for Jehovah to grant us some of our requests.

5. What does Jehovah take into account when he hears our prayers?

5 Jehovah keeps his purpose in mind when answering our prayers (Isa. 55:8, 9). Part of that purpose is that the Earth be filled with men and women who accept his rule and serve him happily and in unity. But Satan claimed that humans would be better off if we governed ourselves (Gen. 3:1-5). To prove that what the Devil said was a lie, Jehovah let humans govern themselves on his behalf, and that has caused many of the problems we have today (Eccl. 8:9). We know that Jehovah is not going to solve all these problems now. If he did so, some might think that human beings can successfully govern themselves and solve the world's problems.

6. Why is it important for us to be convinced that Jehovah always acts with love and justice?

6 Jehovah can answer similar requests in different ways. For example, when King Hezekiah became seriously ill, he begged Jehovah to heal him, and Jehovah did (2 Kings 20:1-6). However, when the apostle Paul pleaded with him to remove “a thorn in the flesh”—possibly a health problem—Jehovah did not do so. (2 Cor. 12:7-9) Let us remember what happened to the apostles James and Peter. King Herod wanted to kill them both. Although the congregation prayed for Peter and probably for James as well, James was executed, while Peter was saved thanks to a miracle from Jehovah (Acts 12:1-11). We may wonder why Jehovah saved one and not the other. Although the Bible does not explain it, we can be sure that Jehovah “never commits injustice” and that he loved both Peter and James.​—Deut. 32:4; Rev. 21:14. Sometimes our prayers may not receive the answer we hope for. But in no case do we complain about how Jehovah answers them because we are convinced that he always acts with love and justice (Job 33:13).

7. What do we avoid doing, and why?

7 We try not to compare our situation with that of others. For example, it could be that we ask Jehovah for something very specific and he does not grant it to us. Later, we learned that someone asked for something similar and Jehovah apparently granted it. That's what happened to a sister named Anna. Her husband, Matthew, was sick with cancer, and she prayed for his recovery. Since at that time two very older sisters also had cancer, Anna prayed a lot for all three. It turns out that both sisters recovered, but Matthew died. At first, Anna wondered if Jehovah had intervened to restore the sisters to health and, if so, why the same had not happened with her husband. We do not know for sure why the sisters recovered, but there is one thing we do know: that Jehovah will take away once and for all everything that he makes us suffer and that he longs to resurrect his beloved servants (Job 14:15 ).

8. a) According to Isaiah 43:2, what does Jehovah do to support us? b) How does prayer help us when we go through difficult trials? (Watch the video Prayer Helps Us Move Forward.)

8 Jehovah will always give us his support. Our Father, Jehovah, loves us, and he does not like to see us suffer (Is. 63:9). But he does not free us from all problems, which the Bible compares to rivers and flames (read Isaiah 43:2). What he promises us is that b). He will help us “get through” any trial and will not allow anything to do us permanent harm. Furthermore, a). Jehovah gives us his powerful spirit to help us endure (Luke 11:13; Philip. 4:13). That's why we can be sure that we will always have what we need to endure and stay faithful. d

WHAT JEHOVAH EXPECTS FROM US

9. How does James 1:6, 7 highlight the importance of trusting Jehovah to help us?

9 Jehovah expects us to trust him (Heb. 11:6). Sometimes our trials may seem so terrible that we begin to doubt that Jehovah will help us. But the Bible assures us that with the power of God we can “climb a wall” (Ps. 18:29). So let's not let ourselves be overcome by doubts. Instead, let us pray with a heart full of faith and confidence that Jehovah will answer our prayers. (Read James 1:6, 7.)

10. Give an example that demonstrates how to do our part after praying.

10 Jehovah expects us to do our part after praying to him. Consider a brother who wants to attend the regional convention and asks Jehovah to help him obtain permission from the chief. What could Jehovah do to answer that prayer? He might give you the courage to talk to the boss. But the brother has to take his side and go talk to him, and he may have to do it several times. He could even offer you the option of changing shifts with a colleague. And, if necessary, he could tell you that he is willing to not get paid for that time off.

11. Why should we pray insistently?

11 Jehovah expects us to pray earnestly about our concerns. (1 Thess. 5:17) Jesus implied that some of our requests would not receive an immediate answer (Luke 11:9). So let's not give up! Let us pray fervently and insistently (Luke 18:1-7). When we pray over and over again about an issue, we are showing Jehovah that our request is not just a whim and that we have faith that he can help us.

WHY IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO CHANGE SOME OF OUR REQUESTS

12. a) What could we ask ourselves, and why? b) What should we take into account so that our prayers are respectful? (See the box “Do my requests show that I respect Jehovah?”)

12  If we do not receive what we have asked from Jehovah, we could ask ourselves three questions: a). “Is what I'm asking for the most appropriate?” b) . Generally, we believe that we know what is best for us. But what we ask for may not be best for us in the long term. Maybe we are praying for a problem to be solved in a certain way, but maybe there is a better solution. And some of our requests may not be in accordance with Jehovah’s will.​—1 John 5:14. For example, consider the parents mentioned in paragraph 1. They asked Jehovah to cause his son to continue in the truth. At first glance, it seems like a good request. But in reality, Jehovah does not force anyone to serve him. He wants all of us, including our children, to worship Him because that is our choice (Deut. 10:12, 13; 30:19, 20). So what could these parents ask of Jehovah? May he help them reach the heart of his son so that he loves Jehovah and wants to be his friend (Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4).  

 Do my requests show that I respect Jehovah?

Our Father, Jehovah, loves us very much and wants to grant us what we ask of him. But he is also our Creator and he deserves all our respect (Rev. 4:11). So, when it comes to making a request to our heavenly Father, how can we show him that we respect him?

Make sure the things you ask for are in accordance with God's will and that you ask for good reasons (1 John 5:14). We don't want our prayers to become selfish and only focus on our own needs and desires. James warned first-century Christians that their prayers would not be answered if they asked “with evil motives,” that is, for selfish reasons (James 4:3).

Don't be demanding (Matt. 4:7). Trust that Jehovah knows better than anyone how to answer his prayers. And sometimes the answer may not be what you expected (Eph. 3:20).

Remember to thank Him for the things He gives you every day. Think about how happy Jehovah is when he thanks you for what he does for you.​—Col. 3:15; 1 Thes. 5:17, 18.

13. According to Hebrews 4:16, when does Jehovah help us?

13 The second question is “Will Jehovah consider this the time to give me what I ask?” We may think we need an immediate answer to our prayers. But in reality, Jehovah knows the best time to help us. (Read Hebrews 4:16.) If Jehovah does not immediately grant us what we ask for, we may think that his answer is “No.” But maybe his answer is “Not yet.” Let's go back to the example of the young man who prayed to stop being sick. If Jehovah had miraculously healed him, Satan could have reproached him that this young man continued to serve him only because he had been cured (Job 1:9-11; 2:4). On the other hand, Jehovah has already set the time to end all diseases (Isa. 33:24; Rev. 21:3, 4). So for now we do not expect Jehovah to perform miraculous healings. So what could this young man ask of Jehovah? May He give him the strength and peace of mind he needs to continue serving Him faithfully despite his illness (Ps. 29:11).

14. What does Janice's example teach you?

14 Do you remember Janice, the sister who prayed to serve at Bethel? It took her five years to understand what Jehovah had done to answer her prayer. She says: “At that time, Jehovah trained me and helped me polish my qualities. For example, I needed to trust Jehovah more, improve my study habits, and learn that happiness does not depend on circumstances.” Later, Janice and her husband were invited to the circuit work. She recalls: “Actually, Jehovah did answer my prayers, but not in the way I expected. It took me a long time to see that his response was beautiful. I am super grateful that he gave me this opportunity to feel his love and his kindness.”

15. Why is it sometimes good for our prayers to be less specific? (See also images).

 15 The third question is “Could my request be too specific?” Although it is good to be specific in our prayers, sometimes it is better not to be so specific, so that we can perceive what Jehovah's will is for us. Let's think about the single sister who prayed to attend the School for Kingdom Evangelizers. She wants to go to this school to serve where help is needed the most. Even if she continues to pray about this matter, what more could she ask of Jehovah? May he help her find other ways to expand her ministry (Acts 16:9, 10). After praying, she could do her part by asking the circuit overseer if pioneers are needed in any nearby congregations. She could also write to a branch office to find out where more help is needed in preaching. 

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. Two sisters separately fill out the application for the School for Kingdom Evangelizers. The two pray before sending it. 2. One of the sisters happily shows her letter of invitation to school to some sisters at the Kingdom Hall, including the other sister who also requested it. 3. The sister who was not invited to school prays to Jehovah and then writes a letter. Some time later she is preaching abroad and working on a theocratic construction project. If she thinks that Jehovah has not answered her prayer, why doesn't she consider asking for other things? (See paragraph 15).

16. What can we be convinced of?

16 As we have learned, we can be confident that Jehovah will answer our prayers with love and in a just manner (Ps. 4:3; Isa. 30:18). Sometimes his response may not be what we expect, but he will never ignore our prayers. He loves us very much, and he will never abandon us (Ps. 9:10). So let us continue to trust in Jehovah “all the time” and pour out our hearts before him in our prayers (Ps. 62:8).

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What can we expect from Jehovah?

That he will hear our prayers, but when he answers them it will be according to his will and purpose. And that he will answer in the same way even if they are requests similar to those that others have made. That's why let's avoid comparing our situation with that of others.

What does Jehovah expect from us?

May we demonstrate our trust in him when we make our requests. He also expects us to do our part with his support. And if we do not receive an immediate response we must continue with our request time after time.

Why might it be necessary to change some of our requests?

Some of them may not be best for us in the long term. We must be patient since Jehovah knows the best time to answer our prayer. And sometimes we should not be so specific in prayer. And we should show great respect to Jehovah when we request something.