Just like we can't help but overhear a conversation about something we're interested in, God inclines his ear toward certain prayers that align with his own heart. In this way, John urges us to pray for one another in our struggles, so that we can share our weaknesses rather than tear each other down. As Andrew Schey points out in this teaching, though we cannot escape the collateral damage of this world, we have spiritual protection in Jesus Christ as we seek true life in him.