Even though I don't always notice immediately when I haven't been praying as I should, I definitely notice when I have. I cannot stress the power of prayer enough. When I spend time genuinely praying and listening to God- His Word is only one of the ways that He uses to speak in our lives- it is evident in every single area of my life. It blows my mind. What's more, He rarely answers my prayers in the ways that I would expect. Though it doesn't always feel this way, God truly does always answer my prayers with a better response than I could ever have come up with on my own. Trust me on this- God is really cool. It's not like He answers our prayers in a way that we always have to just miserably trust that it's His will and kind of wish that things could have gone a little differently. No, He wants us to have joy. He is really cool. He answers prayers even about the things that you don't think would matter to Him. You matter to Him.
Only a few weeks ago, I found myself in kind of a desperate place. Sometimes it doesn't take any specific event to break your heart- you just realize one day that has been damaged so much that now it is definitely broken, even shattered, and you are left picking up the pieces. That's where I was. This may sound crazy or cliché, but sometimes that is honestly the best place to be; that is, if you decide to give those pieces of your heart to the God who made them and let Him place them perfectly together.
It was at this desperate place that I began to pray fervently. I began to plead. It is not really in my nature to plead, and I don't usually plead to God- but I have been doing that a lot more often lately. Not just that once, either. I am asking for His help that He make it a habit of mine to pray passionately and constantly.
The peace that overwhelms me during these prayers is indescribable. It is not only spiritual, but physical- even my breath comes easier. I want to challenge you to try it. If you're lost for words, start with the prayer that Jesus lays out for His followers in Matthew 6. Take the time to put it in your own words and hold nothing back.
Sometimes it doesn't make sense to pray. After all, God already knows our hearts. Even so, when He instructed us to pray, He knew what He was doing. Even Jesus prayed, and we ought to follow in His footsteps.
Sometimes it's scary to pray. Confessing sins is scary- but our God is forgiving. Asking for big things is scary- but our God is able. Resisting temptation is scary- but our God is strong. Asking for a change of heart is scary- but our God is loving.
Sometimes it doesn't feel like prayer is working. I feel that in my own life sometimes- actually, a lot. There is one person in my life for whom I have been praying for about 13 years. I've tried changing the way I word my prayers. I've tried to pray more specifically. I've tried to pray more often. I've tried to somehow pray harder. I've tried to give up. I've tried to get other people to pray. It is the most discouraging thing that I know, and it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. I don't understand why my prayers have not been answered in the way that I long for, but I know that God is just. I know that He hears my prayers and that He knows my struggle. I trust that He is doing a great thing.
Sometimes it feels like it's too late to pray. That's something that has been coming up a lot lately in the context of the terrible massacre in Connecticut. But I believe with every ounce of me that it is more important to pray now than ever before. People need Christ. We need the peace of God. There is no better way to come closer to the Lord than through prayer. What an awesome thing it is to know that in the midst of tragedy, we worship a God who is good, who is the Healer, who is omnipotent.
When we pray to God, we access a Power that is unlike anything we have ever held in our human hands. That is nothing to be casual about. Pray with a fervent heart.
The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Psalm 24:17-18 (NLT)
