There are many examples of Biblical characters praying in earnest like Hannah, Naomi, and David, and Joseph in the Bible. God hears all of us as we open our heart and pray to Him. Our prayers reach the heavens, and He reacts, according to His time, and will.  We mustn’t forget that our Omnipotent Father is true to His children and His love is unwavering. He is merciful and complies with our desires and wishes, when they are all part of His plan and scope of reasoning. Some examples of earnest praying are listed below.

Naomi was a woman who experienced great loss and bitterness in her life. She moved from Bethlehem to Moab with her husband and two sons, but they all died there, leaving her alone with her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. She decided to return to Bethlehem but urged her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab and find new husbands. Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi, but Orpah left. Naomi changed her name to Mara, which means bitter, and said, “The Almighty has made my life very bitter. He has taken away everything I had. The Lord has brought me back empty. The Lord has judged me. The Almighty has punished me.” (Ruth 1:20-21) Naomi prayed for God’s blessing and kindness on Ruth, who remained loyal to her and followed her God. She also prayed for God to provide a husband and a home for Ruth.

God answered Naomi’s prayers by leading Ruth to Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s husband, who married Ruth and redeemed their family. Ruth gave birth to a son, Obed, who became the grandfather of King David and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. Naomi’s bitterness turned to joy as she nursed her grandson and praised God for his provision. (Ruth 2:20, 3:1, 4:13-17)

David was a man after God’s own heart, who faced many trials and enemies in his life. He was anointed as king of Israel by Samuel but had to wait for many years before he could take the throne. He was persecuted by King Saul, who tried to kill him several times. He had to flee from his own son Absalom, who rebelled against him and tried to usurp his kingdom.

He also committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband Uriah, which brought severe consequences on his family. David prayed to God with honesty and humility, confessing his sins, asking for forgiveness, seeking guidance, expressing his trust, and praising God’s greatness.

Some of his prayers are recorded in the Psalms, such as Psalm 3, 23, 32, 51, and 139.

David also prayed for his son Solomon, who succeeded him as king, and asked God to give him wisdom and a loyal heart. God answered David’s prayers by forgiving his sins, delivering him from his enemies, establishing his throne, and making a covenant with him that his descendant would reign forever. (1 Samuel 16:13, 24:10, 2 Samuel 7:18-29, 12:13, 15:31, 24:10, 1 Chronicles 29:10-19)

Joseph prayed to God for guidance, protection, and blessing. He also prayed for his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and asked God to make them fruitful and multiply them. God answered Joseph’s prayers by preserving his life, elevating his position, fulfilling his dreams, and making him a blessing to many nations. (Genesis 37:5-11, 39:2-23, 40:8, 41:16, 41:37-57, 45:5-8, 48:15-16, 49:22-26)