As faithful Christians we are given the privilege of going to our heavenly Father in prayer. God wants us to come to Him with our needs, our fears, our concerns for ourselves, our families, and our communities. He desires our communication, the pouring out of our hearts in times of trials and in times of rejoicing. Just as we desire our children to come to us, so too does our heavenly Father desire our coming to Him in prayer.
For some prayer seems to come so easy, for me it is a constant struggle and has been for many years. Truthfully, since my father was diagnosed with cancer and died. While I knew in my heart that God did care about him, I questioned WHY my father was not healed? WHY, with so many people across the country praying for him, were the prayers ineffective? WHY did the cancer still win? WHY were our prayers for healing not answered while prayers for others were? I began to doubt the power of prayer. I began to question if my faith was too weak for God to hear my prayers. Had I not ask for the right thing? Why if Matthew 21:22 states, And in all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive, was my prayer for healing not answered? I got angry and sadly, I stopped talking to God.
Thankfully, God is a loving, patient, and merciful God.
While persistent prayer still does not come 'naturally' for me, I know that my prayers are heard. I know that they are all answered. When we prayed for the healing of my father, God's answer was "No!" When Steve and I prayed for children during our struggles with infertility, God answered with a "Not yet, but in my time." When we prayed for a different job for Steve in 2004, God answered with a "Yes, but it will be in England." When I prayed for patience, God gave me Emma Shea:) Prayers are not always answered as we would like for them to be, but we can have faith that all prayers are answered as God knows we need them to be.
I am awestruck to know that if I am a faithful follower of the biblical principles, my words will be heard by the creator of all that is around us. 1 Peter 3:12 states, For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. God has promised that prayers, asked in faith, will be heard; The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much {James 5:16} We are told to pray about our health, the salvation of those who are lost, for those in government, for those afflicted by job loss, illness, hardships... without ceasing {1 Thess.5:17} and to Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. {Co. 4:2}; to be persistent in our requests.
There is power in prayer when we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and we seek Him with humility and thanksgiving.
For some prayer seems to come so easy, for me it is a constant struggle and has been for many years. Truthfully, since my father was diagnosed with cancer and died. While I knew in my heart that God did care about him, I questioned WHY my father was not healed? WHY, with so many people across the country praying for him, were the prayers ineffective? WHY did the cancer still win? WHY were our prayers for healing not answered while prayers for others were? I began to doubt the power of prayer. I began to question if my faith was too weak for God to hear my prayers. Had I not ask for the right thing? Why if Matthew 21:22 states, And in all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive, was my prayer for healing not answered? I got angry and sadly, I stopped talking to God.
Thankfully, God is a loving, patient, and merciful God.
While persistent prayer still does not come 'naturally' for me, I know that my prayers are heard. I know that they are all answered. When we prayed for the healing of my father, God's answer was "No!" When Steve and I prayed for children during our struggles with infertility, God answered with a "Not yet, but in my time." When we prayed for a different job for Steve in 2004, God answered with a "Yes, but it will be in England." When I prayed for patience, God gave me Emma Shea:) Prayers are not always answered as we would like for them to be, but we can have faith that all prayers are answered as God knows we need them to be.
I am awestruck to know that if I am a faithful follower of the biblical principles, my words will be heard by the creator of all that is around us. 1 Peter 3:12 states, For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. God has promised that prayers, asked in faith, will be heard; The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much {James 5:16} We are told to pray about our health, the salvation of those who are lost, for those in government, for those afflicted by job loss, illness, hardships... without ceasing {1 Thess.5:17} and to Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. {Co. 4:2}; to be persistent in our requests.
There is power in prayer when we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and we seek Him with humility and thanksgiving.
