God hears the silent cry of the heart, even when the lips are sealed. Remember Moses, who in anguish cried out without voice, and God said, “Why do you cry to Me?” Remember Hannah, whose lips moved but no sound was heard; yet her heart cried out, and she obtained all she desired. Even Abel’s blood sent forth a cry louder than a trumpet after his death. So do not think your unspoken request escapes the Lord’s ears. He knows every secret of the soul.
Yet take care that your silence does not spring from shame over hidden deeds. We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or handling God’s word deceitfully. If your unspoken matter concerns sin, bring it into the light before Him who already sees. Confession makes your burden lighter; when you hide, you only multiply your own sorrows like the covetous man whose gains bring storms of anxiety and fear. Lay your wound open to the Physician, and let His mercy heal it.
But now, while I pray for you, do not rely on my prayer as if it were enough. Even the Apostle Paul needed the prayers of the Church, though he labored more than all. Peter, that rock, was prayed for earnestly by the whole gathering. If such men needed the intercession of others, how much more do you? Yet this profit you nothing if you yourself are asleep. Be on the alert. Prayer and works, God’s part and our part, both are required for salvation. Do not say, “I have no need of another’s prayer,” for that very thought shows your need. And do not say, “Others will pray for me, so I may rest.” God’s grace is ready, but He expects your own feet to move.
Rise early, then, and arm yourself with prayer before the day’s war begins. The marketplace is a battle, every hour a tempest; without prayer you are a ship without a helm. Call upon the Lord at dawn, and you will walk through the waves in safety. Let your unspoken request be laid before Him not only by others but by your own lips, even if only your heart utters the words. Examine whether it is for your eternal good. God wills not the death of a sinner, but that all should turn and live. If your will is joined to His, you need not many words. Christ Himself, when He prayed at the tomb of Lazarus, said, “I thank You that You have heard Me,” showing that His will and the Father’s are one, and He prayed aloud only for the sake of those standing by. So too, trust that He hears you always.
Commit your way, then, to Him who knows what is best for your soul, and I, though unworthy, will join my prayer to your own, that His mercy may grant you peace and true deliverance in Jesus Christ.