I recognize the “feeling”, my friend, but learned long ago that silence did not mean He didn’t hear me. By that I don’t so much mean all my requests get filled, but that I find Him more often in the journey when I look back rather than demand an appearance. I also have learned that His presence seems to embrace me more when I recognize His grace on my behalf and when I get lost in gratitude for that which He has already done. Of course, that’s a lot of “I”s and we each walk our own path in this. I was reading some Yancey this morning and he spoke of a woman who taught him we must come to the practice of inviting Him into all that we do, making in such manner all the daily events of our life, in themself, a conversation, or “prayer”. Nothing, absolutely nothing, however, replaces an encounter. Romans puts it in terms of “from faith to faith”; and surely we all walk that space between, needing Him, needing each other……

Maybe he prayed all that time, then was done and walked away confident that God WILL answer his prayer. Maybe he considered those hours time well-spent. Maybe he enjoyed it.

God answers every prayer, sometimes the answer is no.

Yep! this is exactly how I’m feeling right now.
Except I don’t have that much patience…

Very divine, David. What this cartoon says to me, and even if it says anything, all depends on my starting assumptions: much like what I receive in prayer.