Can God Hear Your Thoughts?
Have you ever wondered if God can hear your thoughts? Does God know what you are thinking all the time?
I used to wonder about this a lot, especially as a child. We have thousands of thoughts per day. Can God hear them?
God can hear your thoughts. The Bible confirms this in many places.
The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. Psalm 94:11
God not only knows your thoughts, He knows what you will think and what you will speak before you do so.
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. Psalm 139: 1-4
Not only does God know your thoughts, he knows the intent behind every thought!
…for the Lord searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought… 1 Chronicles 28:9 MEV
Jesus Could Hear People’s Thoughts
When Jesus came to earth, He was fully God and fully man. He was the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3).
Jesus was spirit-led all the time, constantly getting direction and insight from the Holy Spirit, including the insight into people’s thoughts, even the thoughts of their hearts. As He listened to His Father, He knew people’s thoughts.
But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Luke 5:22
But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. Luke 6:8
But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. Luke 11:17
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? Matthew 9:4
Although Jesus could have known everyone’s thoughts all the time because He is God, He chose to lay down His deity and operate as a man on the earth, dependent on the Father just as we are. He was able to hear people’s thoughts as the Father showed them to Him. The humility of God is awe-inspiring!
Is it OK to Pray in Silence?
There are times when praying out loud is critical.
Our words have power and it’s important to use them and speak the Word of God out loud. But at times, it is definitely OK to pray in silence.
God can hear your silent prayers.
The Lord is not far away. If you are born again, you have become one Spirit with Him. That’s as close as you could possibly get!
But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV
Because God can hear our thoughts, we can communicate with Him without speaking out loud.
Our sighs, our groans, our meditations, and our thoughts can all be prayers to God.
At times we don’t even know how to put our thoughts into words, but God understands what we are trying to communicate. He is one with us.
An example of this type of silent prayer is in the book of 1 Samuel.
Hannah was praying to God and her mouth was moving, but she was praying silently in her heart. And God heard her!
And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 1 Samuel 1:12-13
God not only heard Hannah, but He answered her silent prayer and gave her the desire of her heart.
When Hannah’s prayer connected with God, the curse was reversed in her life and she was blessed! To learn more about God’s goodness in Hannah’s story, read Did God Close Hannah’s Womb?
Does God Know Our Thoughts?
Whether we are talking to God or not, He always knows our thoughts. He is our Creator, and He knows all things. He is always with us.
Understanding that God knows our thoughts brings so much comfort and security. No scheme of the enemy can be hidden from Him (Hebrews 4:13).
Knowing that God is that close brings so much confidence. He is always present and ready to help us.
Because He knows our thoughts, He can help us renew our mind, which is what brings transformation in our lives.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
God knows the thoughts we may be thinking that are keeping us from receiving all He has for us. He helps us pull down the strongholds in our minds that keep us in bondage (2 Corinthians 10:4).
The lies that we believe in our thought life cause tremendous trouble for us.
All sin can be traced back to a lie that we are believing.
Because God can hear your thoughts, He is able to bring to light the lies we may be believing and help us replace them with the truth that will set us free (John 8:32)!
Spiritual warfare is all in our thoughts. Praise God that He can hear our thoughts and help us win the battle of the mind!
God Thinks About You All the Time
Not only can God hear your thoughts, but He is constantly thinking about you. And His thoughts toward you are good.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
God has good plans for you and good thoughts about you.
Because of the finished work of Jesus, God sees you completely holy, blameless and above reproach (Colossians 1:22).
When God looks at you, He is delighted in you. His thoughts are full of joy about you, so much so that He bursts into song and dance when He sees you!
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Imagine how often a caring mother thinks about her children, and then multiply that by millions.
This is how much the Lord thinks of you- more than the number of sand on the seashore. Wow!
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139: 17-18
The Bible says that God cares about you watchfully (1 Peter 5:7) and has even inscribed you on the palm of His hand!
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:16
The Lord’s care for you supersedes what you could even imagine.
He is always present, closer than your breath.
He is a good Father, who gave His very own Son to have you. He will never, ever abandon you, nor leave you without help!
…for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 AMPC