"O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come." {Psalm 65:2} That God hears prayer should come as no surprise to us. Why is it then that prayer doesn't seem to be the uplifting, strengthening experience the Scriptures portray it to be? Sadly, even some of our religious friends who teach and practice error seem to have richer, fuller prayer lives than we do. In a nutshell, the problem is our attitudes about prayer. Prayer is one of the most powerful blessings we have in Christ. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." {Ephesians 1:3}
God does not acknowledge the prayers of those who are outside His family. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." {1 Peter 3:12} God gives us encouragement, or incentive, to pray. "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." {Hebrews 4:14-16} "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." {James 1:5} God wants us to cast our cares on Him. (1 Peter 5:7)
Why don't we pray more? Could it be we are unwilling to experience the pain that comes from praying to God? How so? When we pray for someone who has cancer, who is ill, facing surgery, or just battling old age, we acknowledge many of life's difficulties. Then there are the spiritual problems. Brethren fall away; some are in danger of church discipline; people try to lead the church into apostasy; and brethren in many places divide and split. There's bad news on all fronts. The Old Testament often described prayer as crying to God. (2 Chronicles 32:20; Psalms 34:17; 39:12) It's easy to see why. Some of us just don't want to get involved in other peoples' problems. We are trying to cope with our own problems and do not want to be burdened down with other people's difficulties. For prayer to be an uplifting experience, we must pray about, and become emotionally involved in, the pain of others. Our prayers should convey the desires of our hearts. Could it be that our prayers are ineffective because they are more mechanical and ritualistic than they are fervent expressions from our hearts? "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." {Romans 10:1} Paul not only prayed for Israel, he involved himself in helping to bring about what he desired for her.
Why aren't more people today like Hannah and Daniel? Both of these folks faced tremendous personal struggles; yet, they prayed and relied on God's help to see them through. (1 Samuel 1:5; Daniel 6:10) Could it be we lack their confidence in, and commitment to, God? They poured their hearts out to God and were confident that He would hear and help. Their prayers sound as though they are talking with a trusted friend. Do we have this type of friendship with God? "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." {1 John 2:1,2} God DOES LISTEN.
Listen to the Psalmist's words: "For to thee, O Lord I lift my soul..." {Psalm 86:4} "I stretch out my hands to Thee; my soul longs for Thee, as a parched land..." {Psalm 143:6} "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." {Psalm 62:8} "I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble." {Psalm 142:2} If God doesn't hear the concerns of those who pray to Him, why would the Psalmist make such statements? The New Testament teaches these same principles. "Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus." {Philippians 4:6,7} Thanks be to our God for loving us, and being concerned enough to listen to our prayers.
For many years, I've heard brethren say: "I don't know what to pray about." Those who make such statements have not learned to be truly dependent on God. Do you need more wisdom? James told us to pray for wisdom, and God will grant it to us liberally. Does it takes wisdom to make marriage work, raise children appropriately, teach the lost, stay busy in the Lord's kingdom, grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, give direction to others, deal with those who teach false doctrines, teach those who have been taught incorrectly, deal with work, and set proper priorities? Do you need God's mercy? We need to see the need to pray and ask for His continual mercy, because we often fall short in all of these areas.
Do you handle some situations badly? Do you ever blow an opportunity to teach one of your children? Do you make mistakes when you deal with your spouse? Do you lose your cool with your coworkers? Do you fail to discipline your children correctly? We could go on and on -- what do you mean you don't know what to pray about?
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." {1 Timothy 2:1-3} Pray for our President, for the congressional representatives, and the local government. Pray for school officials. Thank God for the freedom to worship Him according to His design and ask for this freedom to continue and be extended to others.
Pray for other members of the local church. Pray for the elders, the deacons, the preacher, the Bible-class teachers. What about the members' children and parents, the new converts, the unfaithful, they who battle the difficulties of old age, the shut-ins? Pray that the teenagers will be able to face their daily difficulties. When did you last pray for the lost here in Beavercreek?
Do you still feel unsure about what to pray for? Christians can pray about any thing about which their hearts are concerned. We are commanded to pray for many of the things discussed in this article -- but we are not limited to only these things. Many people don't pray because they have difficulty believing that God listens. God stands ready and willing to give us all things we need to serve Him more faithfully. Jesus is always on duty to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). How can one truly believe that a loving God will not lift so much as a proverbial finger to help His child? Such thinking fails to recognize the awesome amount of help available to those who ask our Father in heaven. Pray -- He is waiting.