If you're anything like me, you've experienced stages in your life where either wonder if your prayers go anywhere or you give up on praying altogether. These stages are discouraging at best and fulfilling at worst...yeah, you read that right. Fulfilling at worst. Why is that a worst case scenario? Because it means you're finding fulfilment in earthly matters rather than in your relationship with God. To many people, Christians included, this may not sound so bad. What's wrong with being fulfilled by your family, friends, hobbies, or job?
While it's not bad or sinful to find these things fulfilling, it becomes dangerous when you remove God from the list of priorities. I love what Philip Yancey says about prayer: "The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God."
I found that I needed to change my perspectives on prayer. Although it took me a while to catch on, my prayers were stale and (often) useless because my purpose for praying was to convince God that He needed to change something in my life. I didn't pray just to get to know God; I prayed when I needed something accomplished. Does that sound familiar to you? Take a moment to really consider some of your prayers.
After I considered this, I put in the work to change my prayer life. It wasn't easy. I hadn't realised the depth of the rut I had prayed myself into. Now, it wasn't that my prayers were selfish; I wasn't praying that my life would have no problems or that I would win the lottery or something. But I realised that almost all of my prayers revolved around the physical well-being of people in my life and success in my job. Well-intended prayers, to be sure, but fairly empty.
I finally realised that God cared more about the spiritual condition of souls (aka His relationship with His people) than the physical condition of bodies. Yancey was able to succinctly state this: To know God. That should be my main purpose in prayer - not necessarily the only purpose, but the highest priority.
So basically what I'm trying to say is consider your prayer life - or lack of prayer life. Are you really trying to know God through prayer - to align yourself (your desires and goals) with Him? Where is your fulfilment?
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18
While it's not bad or sinful to find these things fulfilling, it becomes dangerous when you remove God from the list of priorities. I love what Philip Yancey says about prayer: "The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God."
I found that I needed to change my perspectives on prayer. Although it took me a while to catch on, my prayers were stale and (often) useless because my purpose for praying was to convince God that He needed to change something in my life. I didn't pray just to get to know God; I prayed when I needed something accomplished. Does that sound familiar to you? Take a moment to really consider some of your prayers.
After I considered this, I put in the work to change my prayer life. It wasn't easy. I hadn't realised the depth of the rut I had prayed myself into. Now, it wasn't that my prayers were selfish; I wasn't praying that my life would have no problems or that I would win the lottery or something. But I realised that almost all of my prayers revolved around the physical well-being of people in my life and success in my job. Well-intended prayers, to be sure, but fairly empty.
I finally realised that God cared more about the spiritual condition of souls (aka His relationship with His people) than the physical condition of bodies. Yancey was able to succinctly state this: To know God. That should be my main purpose in prayer - not necessarily the only purpose, but the highest priority.
So basically what I'm trying to say is consider your prayer life - or lack of prayer life. Are you really trying to know God through prayer - to align yourself (your desires and goals) with Him? Where is your fulfilment?
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18
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