Does Prayer “Work”? (Prayer Part II)
Unsettling question isn’t it? Heretical to think ‘no.’ That would be sacrilegious and disappoint your mama if she ever heard you say it. But dishonest to say ‘yes’; too many examples of good prayers coming back with bad answers. Even the question seems to sully something holy. When we think about something that ‘works’, we think functional. Efficient. Effective. ‘Work’ connotes a transaction. At work, we trade our effort for progress. We do a job and get paid.
So does prayer “work”? Does the quality and quantity of effort I put into prayer yield an outcome?
Three questions….
– Can I convince God to change His mind? Does He? Ever? There’s a couple of examples in the Old Testament when it appears He did. But I’ve never figured out if prayer motivated Him. Or even if an omniscient, never-changing God can, in fact, change His mind. May be an oxymoron.
– Does prayer change anything? Cliché: “Prayer doesn’t change things, it changes me.” If I’m already changed…truly surrendered to His will and the outcome He has for me, I don’t need to be changed. I just need to be held. And I don’t normally feel like I’m held when I’m begging God to make His will match mine.
-Are one person’s prayers more valuable than another’s? “Thanks for your prayers….they sure did work.” Like special bottle rockets were lit off. Must have caught God’s eye just right, ‘cause He heard those prayers and did just what we wanted.’ “I’m asking that guy to pray again next time. He gets it done. His prayers ‘work’!” Like rubbing a lantern and saying “Abracadabra” is going to convince the Creator of the universe He needs to pay attention.
I’m waking up to the fact that my prayers have been more about getting something from God than connecting with God. If what I want is to connect with God…to fellowship with Him…to feel His presence and rest assured in His love, then prayer always ‘works’. He’s present, available, and attentive 24/7/365. But is that what I’m really after most of the time?
Not entirely. I want God to draw close to me, but I almost always want God to do something for me too. I have more than one motive, and God knows them all. He knows why I’m coming to Him before I even start praying. God even acknowledges our mixed motives in Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives.” Isn’t it cool that our Father sees into our hearts, knows all our motives for praying, and still listens?
Here’s a challenge. And I’ll take it too. Spend some amount of time with God every day for the next 4 days without asking for anything. Focus 50% of your energy and attention on telling God how you feel about Him… how grateful you are for what He’s done for you. Then focus the other 50% of your energy and attention praying “Here’s my heart Lord. Speak what is true” and listening to what He says. “Speak what is true about my character, Lord.” “Speak what is true about how I treat my wife.” “Speak what is true about my priorities, Lord.” Carefully write down what you hear. We’ll talk about what to do with it next time.
Question: Are you willing to take this step toward listening to God’s voice? Say so here…..
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Responses (7)
I’m taking the challenge… 4 days- I’ll spend time not asking for anything… just reflecting on His nature and character and continually giving away my whole self to Him for His Glory and listening for His still, small voice. This will be much more challenging because I looked back in my journal for the last few weeks and I had no idea I was so demanding of God! The fact that I began my prayers with “please, God” didn’t really make it better… Thanks for the idea…I can’t wait to see how God shows up and shows His glory and speaks what is true to me!
Love it Eric. Your transparency is so, so encouraging. Let us know what He tells you. I have a sense it’s going to be good.
Regarding prayer, I know God hears and feels my prayers because He has answered them over the years. Prayers, mostly for the salvation of my family of origin and my children, have been prayed for as long as I can remember. It’s wonderful to realize that God has answered those prayers. I believe consistent prayer for me by my grandmother had a great deal to do with my salvation decision and my desire for God’s presence over the years. ( a grandmother’s love)
I think the value of prayer is demonstrated to us in the relationships we have with those we love on earth. I am able to understand prayer when I think of the family model. We long to commune with those we love. Prayer has little to do with receiving what we want. Prayer has everything to do with sharing our hearts with faith/hope that those we love will have empathy and compassion. God knows, understands, and will do what is best according to His plan for His children. Prayer is actually submission/obedience/faith and trust; the elements of a relationship between a parent and child.
Absolutely Daun. Good times, bad times…we all long for family and He’s the perfect Father who’s there with us and for us. And that is enough. Thanks for reading and for your comment.
This post is really timely as lately, I’ve been reflecting on the quality of my prayer life. Only yesterday, while trying to come up with the words to use to send a written prayer request to my church, I realized that my perspective is way off.
Generally, my prayers emphasize what I think God should be doing or revealing for whatever reason I think is important. Then, it dawned on me that God is always doing and revealing for all of us, and His grace, in whatever way He gives it, is always timely and good. Always.
However, my ignorance and inability to recognize and acknowledge His grace has had me praying for God to do more. It sent me to my knees to realize that He’s already done enough because the life, death and resurrection of His most precious Son answers every single prayer.
The challenge now is to let go of the shame over years of asking for what He’s already given and figuring out how to convey my love and gratitude for all He’s done. I look forward to writing down what I hear over the next four days, and I pray that it’s more pleasing to God’s ears than what I wrote yesterday.
Challenge accepted. Will you give an opportunity to report back in 4-5 days? Thanks.
This a great, thought provoking, call to action.
I open all my prayers with thanks to God for His amazing love, grace and mercy, then just praise Him for who He is.
I then move into praying for those around me who need to be lifted up, saved, etc.
I usually pray for myself for clarity, that I would be in the middle of God’s perfect plan for my life at all times and that I’d maintain His peace and joy in every situation.
It doesn’t make me holy, but I’ve learned that I don’t need what I think I need, I need Him and what He thinks I need.
It’s given me much more fulfillment and I now have peace and joy in almost all situations.
I am a work in progress and thankfully heading in the right direction!