Deep within an abyss of despair and a profound crisis of faith, Job experiences a complete breakdown of trust in his relationship with the Creator. He reaches a state of mind where, even in the hypothetical event that God were to respond to his prayers, he would refuse to view it as a sign of closeness or divine care. This reaction is driven by extreme pessimism; the idea of God listening is so impossible to him that he would rather deny his own senses than believe God actually heard his voice [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others suggest this total lack of faith comes from a place of immense terror. His fear of God is so overwhelming that it strips away any capacity for trust or security [רש״י].
On a deeper level, this disbelief is the result of a severe theological crisis. The sheer weight of suffering that fell upon Job for no apparent reason has shattered his understanding of personal providence. This pain leads him to the mistaken conclusion that God does not actively watch over the specific lives and actions of individuals [רמב״ן]. He is trapped in an unbridgeable dissonance, completely unable to believe that the very God who struck him so harshly and needlessly would suddenly listen to his voice and treat him with kindness [מלבי״ם].
Because of this, Job rejects the common belief that God brings suffering upon righteous people simply because He desires their prayers. He refuses to accept that his salvation is being delayed just so God can listen to and find pleasure in his begging. His bitter experience proves to him that those who face destruction from Heaven do not suddenly receive divine favor [אלשיך]. Furthermore, there is a sharp distinction between God granting a request and God truly listening. Even if God were to give Job exactly what he asks for, Job would not believe it was done out of a genuine desire to hear him. He views it as akin to a king who gives a petitioner what they want merely to be rid of them, commanding his servants to grant the request simply so he no longer has to look at the person's face. In this tragic view, an answered prayer is not proof of a close relationship with God, but rather a final method of pushing him away [חומת אנך].