John 11:41 “And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me.'” 

As a leader, you often face issues, trials, and decisions in life that prompt you to pray for answers over and over. We are often impatient that God has not yet answered after a long period of time. It may be a troubling matter that seems to linger and not go away. It may be a family or job decision. It may even be a spiritual decision. We tend to come to a point when we ask if God has heard us. Our promise in John 11:41 clearly shows that Jesus knew his Father heard him and continues to hear him. This same promise is ours, and we must be patient, obedient, and persistent.

How does this relate to you as a spiritual leader? Do your children know that you always hear them? What about your wife? Do you make it clear that you have heard them, and that they can count on you always hearing them? Cell phones, computers, social media, and other technologies today often supplant real conversations and communication. There is always both hearing and speaking, and it is our responsibility to create an open environment for both to occur. The Bible is full of promises that our Heavenly Father always hears us. He answers on his timeline, not ours. When He hears, it is registered in His memory bank to be answered when He feels is best for us. One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” This is a promise to claim as a leader any time you are facing something bigger than yourself.