Most often when prayer comes to one's mind is only when faced with a critical situation such as sickness, divorce, any kind of loss or death. In these times it is common for people to pray or others to offer prayers as a form of support. Phrases like, "Praying for you," "Sending prayers your way," and "I will keep you in my prayers," can bring comfort to the recipients, but it is important to consider the true significance behind them. Some individuals may say these phrases without fully grasping the meaning of prayer and may even doubt its effectiveness, viewing it merely as a superficial gesture. Sadly, many who identify as Christians do not believe in the power of prayer.
So, what is prayer? Prayer is our way of communicating with God, the Creator of the universe and of each one of us. He is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (always present). When we pray, we are not just speaking into the void or to some created entity, but to the living God! Even though we may not see Him, He sees us, knows us, and hears us. There is nothing we can do, say, or anywhere we can go that escapes His awareness. He possesses all knowledge. Therefore, when I sincerely pray to God, and have faith to believe, both for myself and others, I can do so confidently trusting that He will answer my prayer according to His will.
We don't have to wait until trials and tribulations come to pray, we should also pray and give thanks during times of joy. Often, we forget to show gratitude to God for the blessings we have, instead turning to Him only when we are in need. The verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 encourages us to "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." This verse clearly indicates that when we pray, we are also to give thanks. However, this does not guarantee that we will receive everything we ask for. 1 John 5:14,15, says "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him." This means that whatever we bring before God, we can trust that He will answer according to His plan for our lives, as He alone understands all the complexities involved. While we may not always receive what we desire through prayer, we can be certain that God will provide what we truly need according to His plan and His timing.
Some years ago, late one night I received a knock on the door by the police to inform me that my husband was in an accident with his friends. One died on impact and my husband, and the other friend was in the emergency room. As I was getting ready to go see him, I was praying because I knew that prayer could do what I could not. When I arrived, he was able to talk to me and begin to express his regret for things that were not right in our marriage and that he would change. I prayed with him and just knew that he would come through his injuries, but the outcome didn't happen as I prayed. After 2 weeks, he passed away. At the time, we had five school aged children at home and one in college. They were devastated and so was I but there is something about the comfort that only the Lord can bring. Not only had I prayed but there were others praying as well. I genuinely felt a comfort that cannot clearly be explained. It didn't mean that I wasn't sad, but I was able to rest in the assurance that God knew my circumstance and that He would provide what was needed for our family and that is exactly what He did.
Prayer does matter because God loves us and designed prayer as a way to connect with Him and seek His guidance on matters that affect us and others. Have you considered that there may be trials actively going on in your life that have not changed because God is waiting to hear from you? You have tried it your way without success. Busy lives often keep us from taking the time to talk to God and that's just the way our enemy wants us so that we can keep going in circles. Phoning a friend is comforting but calling God first is our best hope. Will you pause for a moment and sincerely pray regarding your situation? This is just an example of a prayer you can pray. "God, I need your help. Please forgive me for not acknowledging You until now. You are my Creator; my Sustainer and You cannot fail. I've been trying to do this on my own, but the weight is too heavy. I acknowledge that You alone have the answer to my situation. I surrender my heart and life to You. I pray that You will fix what I cannot according to Your will. My hope and trust are in You. In Jesus Name. Amen." I urge you to dedicate time to pray and communicate with our loving heavenly Father who is concerned about every aspect of our lives. Many mistakes in relationships and decisions, whether big or small, could be avoided if we would seek His direction. Let's follow His lead in directing our lives.
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12.
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