"When I called, You answered me..." Psalm 138:3 (David's words from a song of thanksgiving.)

God does answer prayer! Do we look for an answer? Habakkuk did as we see in Habakkuk 2:1, "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me..." (Read Chapters 1 &2 for Habakkuk's conversation with God.)

Then there is an interesting scenario in Scripture that seems as if the people are so busy praying they did not see the answer. (For the whole scene read Acts 12:3-16.) Herod had put Peter in prison with four squads of guards to keep him.
"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church." Vs. 5

While Peter was sleeping bound in chains between two soldiers with a guard at the door:
"...An angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up saying, 'Arise quickly!' And his chains fell off his hands. Vs. 7

After directing Peter to get dressed he said follow me. At this point Peter thought he was seeing a vision. It wasn't until they were passed the guard posts; the iron gates that lead to the city had opened of their own accord; they went down a street; and the angel departed from him that Peter came to himself.
"And when Peter had come to himself, he said, 'Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod..."
Vs. 11
"So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying." Vs. 12 "And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate." Vs. 13-14

Would our reaction be the same reaction of those who were praying because we are not looking for an answer??
"But they said to her, 'You are beside yourself!' Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said 'It is his angel.' Vs. 15 (Since Herod had killed James, it is likely that they thought he had killed Peter as well.)

At least now they were looking--
"Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him they were astonished." Vs. 16

Do we at times prayer for something then just go on our way never looking for God's answer, then are astonished when the answer comes?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones in "From Fear to Faith" says, "The point is that we should be looking for these answers, and ready to recognize them when they come. Having committed my problem to God I must expect God to answer."

Why should we expect God to answer? Because He said He would!!
"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him." Psalm 91:15

"Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry and He will say, 'Here I am'..." Isaiah 58:9

Many times we have experienced this:
"It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24

Jesus speaking,
"And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks I will be opened."
Luke 11:9-10

Again, Jesus speaking,
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7

Prayer is conversing with our Lord God, who is our heavenly Father who loves us and wants a personal relation with us.
So we ask, Holy Spirit, lead us and guide us into a greater knowledge of our Father and Christ. To know Him, Father and Son in a relationship that is more real than any other!

Holy Spirit we love and adore You for the mighty work you do in each of our hearts to keep them soft and pliable ready to be and do all that is pleasing to our Lord God. Father thank you for Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Thank you Jesus for your mighty work of salvation and reconciliation that makes this possible. Amen