What to do when a prayer is answered

We pray hard when things are difficult. The scan, the interview, the friend who isn’t speaking to us. Then the good news comes, and we are so relieved that we move straight on to the next thing.

Jesus once healed ten men, and only one came back to say thank you (Luke 17:11–19). Answered prayer deserves more than a passing “phew”. Here are four simple things to do.

1. Notice it

Answers don’t always look like what we asked for. Sometimes they come slowly. Sometimes the situation doesn’t change but the person does: they find peace, or courage, or a friend who turns up at the right moment.

Take a moment to ask: what has actually happened here? Write it down while it’s fresh, including the date and what you had been praying for.

2. Give thanks

Say thank you to God, specifically. Not “thanks for everything”, but “thank you that the results were clear” or “thank you that she called me back”.

Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

— Psalm 107:1 (WEB)

Father, thank you. I asked for [what you prayed for], and you heard. Help me remember this the next time I am afraid. Amen.

3. Tell the people who prayed

If other people prayed with you, let them know how it turned out. People who carried something with you deserve to share the joy. It also encourages them to keep praying, for you and for others.

A short message is enough: “Thank you for praying. The surgery went well and she’s home.”

4. Remember it

Throughout the Bible, God’s people built reminders of what he had done: stones by a river, songs, feasts. They did it because they knew they would forget.

Keep a list of answered prayers. On a hard day, read it. You will find it much easier to trust God with what you are facing now when you can see what he has already carried you through.

What about prayers that aren’t answered yet?

Not every prayer gets the answer we hoped for, and some take years. Giving thanks for answered prayers isn’t about pretending everything works out neatly. It’s about noticing God’s goodness where we can see it, so we can keep trusting him where we can’t.

How Prayershake helps

When a prayer is answered in Prayershake, you can mark the request as answered and add a short note about what happened. If you choose to share it, the people who prayed with you hear the good news too. Every answered prayer is kept on your Answered page, grouped by month, so you can look back and remember.