Prayer. Arguably one of the most important responsibilities and most exciting benefits of the Christian life. I mean, you get to spend time talking personally to the God of the universe, something that other religions really have no equivalent to.
But so many people see prayer as a chore, something they do before they eat and before bed so that they can be a "good Christian". Today I want to dive into some of the Bible's teachings about prayer, what it is and isn't for, and what you will get out of it if you stop viewing it as a chore and start viewing it as a privilege.
1. Prayer is not an outward show.
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
-Matthew 6:6
Now, this verse isn't saying that it's wrong to pray with a group of people. It only means that you should not see prayer as primarily something to do in front of others to show them what a good Christian you are.
This was something the Pharisees were very guilty of; they would pray on the streets to show the whole world how righteous they were. That is not the point of prayer. The point of prayer is to come into the presence of God and develop your personal relationship with Him.
2. We are to pray continually.
"...be constant in prayer."
-Romans 12:12b
Prayer is not something that you only do before meals and before bed as part of your routine. You should be in the habit of praying anywhere, anytime, about anything. Send little prayers up to God all throughout your day, whenever you think of someone who needs it or find yourself in a difficult situation where you need a little help.
3. We are to pray for others.
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
-James 5:16
While it's fine to pray for things in your own life, prayer is very powerful when many people are all praying to God for each other. If you have Christian friends, share prayer requests with them and pray faithfully for them, trusting that they are doing the same for you. There is nothing more encouraging than going through a hard time knowing that there are people praying on your behalf.
4. Prayer is a cure for worry.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:6-7
When we pray, we are essentially turning our lives over to God. We are saying, "Lord, this is where I need help, and I am giving it to you because I know you will do what is best for me." When we know that God is in control of our lives, we will naturally be less anxious, because we are giving our worries to Him and letting Him take care of it.
5. God hears the prayers of His people.
"The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry...when the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles."
-Psalm 34:15-17
The reason prayer is such an amazing, encouraging thing is because God actually hears us. If we believe and trust in Him, He listens to every little prayer you think throughout the day. So never worry that he isn't listening to you; He hears every word you speak to Him and knows exactly what you are going through each day.
What do you think? Do you find these truths encouraging? Are there things here you never thought about before? Are there other verses you can think of that talk about prayer? Tell me in the comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment