Prayers, are they answered.

It has always befuddled me when people pray so frequently and express that their prayers are answered. I mean is it not just a manifestation of a solution you already have? Does Heavenly Father really answer our prayers?
   Let me start by saying I am such a weak prayer, I don't pray frequently usually once a day, and my prayers are almost always repetitive. I just at times don't know how to trust although I am getting  better. I actually change it up a bit, though I still have a hard time with taking my troubles to the Lord. I am a problem solver and like to think that I can do almost anything. I watch other people pray and hear how their prayers have been answered and can't stop but wonder that at some point coincidence becomes a very weak argument. I don't think its possible for our own mind to manifest a real answer to prayer, in fact it is only through God that we can have prayers answered.
     Sometimes I wonder, is my relationship with God sufficient enough to have my prayers answered and when they are do I have the capacity to recognize the fact that they are. Faith in God becomes an integral part of prayer, in fact without faith the need to pray seems fruitless.
Relying on our Father in Heaven is something, I think, He really wants us to do. He wants us to, even though He knows already, to bring everything to Him in prayer. Give it all up to Him, our struggles, our happiness, our sadness anything that is current in our daily lives. Doing  this will bring strength to our relationship with God.
     At times in our life we may feel that we can not feel Gods presence, there seems to be a disconnect between us. Our faith may have waned and we question that relationship that we once had, we might say a prayer to Him but without sincerity and wonder why it is not answered. We may even feel that we do not have the right to ask our Heavenly Father for certain things, but it is fundamental to Gods plan that we bring everything to Him, ask him for blessings and thank Him for our struggles, our blessings and everything that is of Him.
    We must first build a relationship with God, ask for forgiveness and do what it takes to please him, accept that Jesus Christ is the son of God and let his love enter into into your heart, truly become a child of God. Jesus teaches that he is the Sheppard and we are the sheep, and as any good Sheppard knows, his flock will know his voice and will listen. He teaches that by following Him we will have eternal life and not perish. When we follow Christ's teachings our confidence in God grows and we become more aware of his presence. It seems that there is a pattern starting to develop, God, Jesus Christ, faith, trust and commitment.
A sincere commitment to our eternal Father and the teachings of his son are the way to develop that loving trusting relationship.
    One of my failures comes from thinking that my plan for me is better than Gods plan, thinking that there is only one obvious answer to a prayer. Sometimes the answer that God gives isn't what we want to hear, we go by the here and now and question with our limited knowledge Gods will. I for one need to change this way of thinking and trust that Gods knowledge is infinite and he knows the best plan and path for me to take. Even when the world seems out of control it is paramount to trust without question what Gods will for us is. He strives to have a loving and trusting relationship with us all, walk by faith not by sight. God can provide answers far beyond our own comprehension as we submit to being satisfied with His answers, he will always be our Father and his love will be everlasting. Trust in him always and bring all of your troubles to him in prayer, thank him and praise him, love him.
    
It is my testimony that by submitting to our loving Heavenly Father's will and reading his word, trusting in him and his plan for us we can receive that answer to our prayers. I can't definitively say how your prayer will be answered but I know someone who does, my Father... our Father in heaven, ask him.  The first prayer God answers is your prayer to begin a relationship with him, then will you understand that your prayers are and always have been answered.
I say this in the name of our loving Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.