When we pray, God listens to us: the Bible confirms it in 1 John 5:14. But did you realize that God listens to much more than just our prayers?
The Bible is clear, and Jesus spoke about it as well, if we have a need, we can make it known to God through prayer. Even if He knows the needs of His children, our Heavenly Father loves when we talk to Him about our concerns. This allows us to discharge our worries on Him and allows us to involve Him in all the details of our life: and He likes it a lot!
Now, since God is omnipresent, He is also constantly listening to us. He hears everything that comes out of our mouth, whether positive or negative. When the Israelites complained in the desert of their thirst or lack of dietary diversity, they did not complain directly to God. They eventually talked to Moses, but God had already heard their criticisms long before they told their leader. When Moses approached God with the needs of the people (or critics), the Lord already had a solution to offer. Therefore, we must pay attention to everything that comes out of our mouth, because sometimes it is not very pretty!
God also hears our negative words. We pray in faith for a husband or a wife, and then, we lament on social media that we can not find a partner. We ask God for success and prosperity, but we constantly criticize our jobs. Our faith should not only be manifested in our prayers or at our church, but it must also be evident in our conversations. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1.5-8 NASB).
Our negative words hurt God. When we doubt His love, His power, or His interest in us, it saddens and can irritate Him (Genesis 6:5-6 and Psalm 78:40). God is not insensitive, but He also has a Father’s heart.
God also hears our vain words. We all know people who talk about everything and anything, all the time! (Perhaps you recognize yourself here?) There are those who claim to know all the answers to all the questions of life. For others, talking is a hobby, but one that leads nowhere. If they would spend more time acting on things rather than talking about it, there would be more advancement in different areas of their lives. Perhaps God rolls His eyes when He hears us speak. “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12: 36-37 NASB).
There is an old saying that says: “Our actions speak louder than words.” This is the case for our faith (Matthew 7:21), but also for our future marriage. If you say that you want to get married, but you do not prepare accordingly, your words are in vain. Being a good husband means, your character needs to be transformed. Whenever you want to be the wife of a man of God, you must put God first in your life now (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
God also hears our obscene or vulgar jokes. “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29 NASB). When we repeat sexual jokes, for example, it puts a negative deposit on our soul. A married man who makes all kinds of jokes of adultery, or who flirts with other women “just for fun”, will always fall. Jesus said, what comes out of our mouth comes first from our heart (Luke 6:45). And if we commit adultery in our hearts, we are as guilty as if we do it “for real” (Matthew 5:28).
Just like other fathers, our Heavenly Father does not like jokes that could harm His children. “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows and death, so is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, “Was I not joking?”” (Proverbs 26:18-19 NASB). God wants His children to love and build up each other. It is through our love that we will be identified as Jesus’ disciples (John 13:34-35).
So, praying is good, but be vigilant about everything that comes out of your mouth after you pray, because these words, God hears them too.