You pray, and you keep praying.
“But when is enough? When do I stop? Has God even heard me? Am I speaking to the wind?”
Prayer is a beautiful thing. A privilege.
But to be honest, when the answers don’t come, what next?
Do I just give up and stop praying?
When the miracles aren’t flowing…
So many questions…
And so many opinions about why my prayers aren’t being answered.
“You have sin in your life.”
“You lack faith.”
“You aren’t praying correctly.”
“You need to claim God’s promises.”
“You need to demand God answers you.”
“You are rebellious.”
“It’s not God’s timing.”
Arghhhhhh!
So many opinions. So many views. So many attitudes.
So I must still myself.
Quiet myself.
I find myself going back to the one thing that does not change.
Jesus.
I look to His life on earth.
Prayer. Speech. Lifestyle.
I look to His Word, the Bible.
And I rest in that.
I keep praying, no matter what I feel, and no matter what life throws at me.
Why do I keep praying?
Because prayer is all I can do.
I cannot help it.
It’s like God draws me back, like the loving Father He is, back into a prayerful life with Him.
In faith, I keep praying.
In worship, I keep praying.
Because of relationship with Creator God, I keep praying.
Because of the mighty men and women of faith who have gone before me, I keep praying.
Because of the mighty women and men currently in my life, I keep praying.
Because of those who have fallen away from Christ and shipwrecked their faith, I keep praying.
Do I get the answers I want?
Not always.
But I pray.
As an act of worship towards my King and Saviour.
In the Bible, we see:
The life of Jesus is one of prayer.
Psalm 119 encourages me to pray according to the Words of the Bible.
2 Chronicles 20 inspires me to bring all things before the Lord in prayer. To be truthful and humble in my prayers, and He will answer. His answer might not make sense, but Creator God will answer.
Daniel prays even under threat of death in the lions den.
And as I pray, I find myself closer to God.
I find my prayers changing and conforming to His ways.
As I pray, worship manifests.
My prayers become less about me, and more about the King of kings.
I find myself praying for the persecuted church around the world.
I pray for my family and friends.
I find myself praying for those who persecute me and treat me badly.
I find myself praying that I will become the man God made me to be. That selfishness will become less in me. And that the path I tread will be the one prepared and directed by Christ Himself.
So let’s pray.
In the darkness and in the light.
Let’s pray.
Ben
