Yesterday’s devotions gave me much to think about my reasons for praying. While the reading said those who don’t pray miss out on God's promises, I know that is not true. If it was, then my salvation depends on me. Instead, regular prayer is evidence of trusting God. It also builds that relationship. The more I communicate with Him, the better I understand Him and the more He teaches me about myself.
A bit of research on the reason for prayer first said that perseverance in prayer, even when facing delays or silence, is often the way God uses to deepen faith, foster spiritual growth, and strengthen my relationship with God.
The Bible agrees and so do I. Perseverance says “I trust You.” However, giving up suggests backsliding and a lack of dependence on God. Any time that I’ve been slack about prayer, my faith suffers, but if I am praying, my faith deepens. Part of it is feeling closer to God, just as communication with anyone draws two people closer to each other.
Many assume that prayer is about asking for and receiving what we want or need. Jesus did say:
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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7–11)Yet in these words, I see prayer being more about discovering God’s goodness and wisdom than it is about getting what I want. It is also about learning to trust His timing, and therefore developing perseverance, a quality that applies to most of life. Perseverance comes when I don’t get answers. James describes the process but adds another value in prayer:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:2–8)While trials boost my prayer life, they also produce perseverance plus a desire for God’s wisdom. Thinking of the situations in the world that stress me, the closer I am to God in prayer, the more apt I am to be wise about what He is doing, rather than struck with horror at it all.
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)Drawing near to God in prayer and listening to Him helps me respond to life because of what He tells me. It puts me in teachable mode. This is far better than not praying and being overcome with distress and fear, or remaining in ignorance.
The NT says, “Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and be open to God’s will. I might not get what I expect, but staying close to Him in conversation helps me see He is good and that all He does is for my good and His glory.
PRAY: Jesus, I cannot pray well using a keyboard, but it does push me in the right direction. This day brings new challenges and I need to hear from You to meet those challenges with faith and wisdom. Thank You for Your Word and for always being near to speak with me.
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