“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12

Today was such a productive day around here. I woke up before my alarm and with sleepy eyes, like a little kid wiping my eyes I asked my husband if it was Frozen time. We both chuckled. It was a matter of minutes before our little Bella would come ringing the doorbell ready to start the morning watching the movie Frozen. We had this new routine now and I was ready to kick off this week with our princess.

I decorated while Rene raked the yard and Bella watched Frozen. The day just flew by and now here I was finally taking some ME time and enjoying a classic holiday movie. Every holiday season it’s been a must for me to watch It’s A Wonderful Life. There’s just something so comforting about this movie. Tonight as I sat here getting all cozy and comfy with my fave movie, I caught something I never had in all these years.

Funny how we can watch the same movie over and over and every time we discover something new in the movie. As it began I watched as people from all around this town were praying for George Bailey. House after house, a different prayer was going up for this man.

The angels above heard every prayer and quickly took action to send someone down to help George. In all these years, somehow I missed this part. Or I just never truly took to account the many prayers going up to heaven and the angels hearing them. I was moved to tears instantly.

This was something so beautiful to hear but then to imagine how beautiful the sound of our collective prayers must be. Oh how God and His angels must feel when we pray over one another.

I am reminded of the very first time I sat on the front row at church. The prayer partners were called up and people lined up to go forward with their prayer request. It sounded almost angelic, hearing all the prayers going up to heaven collectively in harmony. I remember sitting there crying tears of joy to be present where hearts were being poured out in prayer and supplication.

Often when we pray we may not realize just how many people are praying over that same situation or individual or even over us. And then there are the times that we pray and pray and feel as though every word has gone unheard. Unnoticed even.

1 John 5:14 says,

“And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.”

We can have this assurance with bold confidence that God does hear our prayers. An angel may not come down instantly from heaven to help us in our situation but we can be assured that our prayers will be answered. God loves us too much to abandon us or ignore our prayers. I can just imagine how incredibly wonderful the sound of our voices as we pray to Him must be when He hears us. I’m sure it moves Him even greater than how it moved me.

Life is hard sometimes. Situations arise that can shake us to the core making us feel uneasy and even discouraged. But when we pray, when we surrender our worries and fears to Him, God hears us and begins movement on our behalf. All we have to do is rest in knowing, with that very same bold confidence we read of in 1 John 5:14, that God will answer us. Because when we pray we are heard.

XOXO…Ileen

psst…God Loves You

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