Join the club friend. Most of the problems most of us face are actually because of our own doing or are intensified by our own doing. - And the 'own doing' which causes problems is normally self centeredness.
Understand that God hears everything we think, all the time. In other words, don't think you can think or do different than what you 'pray to God'. When we come to realize that God knows all, is our Father, with the same Father spirit and love that He put in good human fathers, that He is the LIVING GOD and always with us, we will begin to train our thoughts to be open to him continually. When we reach this point, He will then make his presence known to us, and if we make it our primary desire to do His will, prayer answers will become routine.
Hard times with no where to turn except God are in fact the only way most people will ever learn that God can be relied upon. Perhaps the most shocking experience of my life was after I was indicted. I couldn't sleep that first night, and at 2 in the morning "thought to God' , (without really realizing that He was listening). - "Father. The courts and attorneys are so corrupt I know they will hurt me, and I don't have a clue how to defend myselft in court. Can I count on you to defend me in this?" -I got an instant answer, the first in my 59 years! Loud and clear He answered: " Simple child, I put my spirit of protection for my children into every living being, I put it in YOU. - You my son are under the protection of Almighty God."
That was 6 years ago, and though I did hire attornies and get hammered by them and the court, I realized that hiring men was my own doing which put Gods promise PARTLY on hold until I learned to trust Him fully. I know that His full defense is soon to come, and I've had many experiances of hearing from God, through visions, his voice, and shockingly, while reading the Bible, by a lighted verse in the Bible, or a verse "made real" by grabbing me till my pulse raced when I read it, or by having God speak extra words to personalize a verse as I read it.
Don't expect these profound 'words from God' to come often, but we can be sure that He will guide you through your problems some how if you ask Him too, and most of the time the guidence will come so silently that we don't realize it unless we ponder it a while. Same with healing miracals. God answers MANY prayers and is never given credit, because His healing is normally so gently given that we just quit hurting and don't realize He did it. I've had hundereds of dramatic healings on myself and others, and in most cases, they weren't instant, but took a few minutes or hours with the recipient often not realizing they were healed until asked later! Nothing is too big for God. Give Him your problems, knowing that He hears. Then PAY ATTENTION and ponder whether your request was answered a few days or weeks later. You'll find your faith increasing dramatically as you realize that God is your loving Father, is listening, and answering! In ways to profound for the human mind to comprehend!
