PRAY IN A CORRECT WAY, STOP EMPTY CRIES

Job 35:13-14 (HCSB) says, “Indeed, God does not listen to empty cries,and the Almighty does not take note of it — how much less when you complain that you do not see Him,that your case is before Him and you are waiting for Him.”

This verse teaches us something very important about prayer. Not every cry or prayer is accepted by God. Job’s friend, Elihu, is reminding Job that when people cry out to God without faith, trust, or repentance, their prayers become empty cries.

An empty cry is a prayer without heart, without faith, without obedience. It is a cry that sounds holy but means nothing.

Let’s look at Six ways people make empty cries:

1. Crying to God without faith – Some people pray but deep inside, they don’t believe God will help them. They don’t think God hears them or cares. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

2. Not trusting God’s judgment – Some cry out, but in their hearts, they feel like God is unfair. They complain, saying God blesses the wicked while they suffer.

3. Already having your own plan – You ask God for help, but you've already decided what you will do. You are depending on your own strength. That is not prayer—it is pretending. But Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

4. Crying without repentance – You keep living in sin, and refuse to change. You ignore God's voice but still expect Him to answer. That’s an empty cry.

5. Praying for your will, not God’s – You only want God to do what you want. You never ask, “Lord, is this Your will?” True prayer begins with seeking God's will first.

6. When you don’t have Patience – You've prayed for God but you don't wait for him to act. You are forcing him to answer you now and to give you what you want now. But God do things on his own time, he is never early or late, he answers in due time.

Real prayer is full of faith, trust, humility, and obedience. So, pray in a correct way and God will listen to you.