What Should Prayer Look Like?
If you’re wanting to learn what God says about prayer, a quick internet search on prayer verses in the Bible will bring up quite a few references to what the Bible (AKA God) says about prayer, but something I would like to highlight is a newer-to-me perspective on why I ought to pray.
I grew up believing that prayer was about asking for what I want. In fact the Bible even says to let our requests be made known to God:
“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) (emphasis added, & hey, it’s also our verse from last week! Read that post, here: “How You Can Have Impossible Peace.”)
But make no mistake… prayer is not about making God do what I want. And trust me… that’s a GOOD THING.
God Doesn’t Answer to Me… Will That Cause Me to Doubt Him?
Something I always seemed to misunderstand was how I could be expected to make my requests known to Him & NOT be trying to make God into my personal genie—as I had always been told He was not… because He isn’t. He is GOD. And God does not answer to me.
So, going through deep depression lows & other seemingly never-ending times of hardship in my life, I would do as the verse says… I would make my requests (to end my struggles) be made known to God.
But when He did not remove the struggles or hardships… well, I stopped finding it so easy to trust Him.
And guess what… that is Exactly what Satan wants to result from our hardships & struggles… to doubt God & to turn away from Him... from HOPE.
And so I have come to realize that while the Bible does instruct us to make our requests known to God… I was missing a key piece to the whole prayer thing.
Prayer is meant to help me get on the same page as God. To align my heart with His perfect will & steadfast peace. To trust He knows far better than I do.
Remember These Major Truths When You Pray
Really effective prayer stems from another few verses we ought to keep in mind as we pray (emphasis added):
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)
- ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) - “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
- “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)
It’s okay to let God know your preference & to ask for it. But when looking at the above verses, it sounds like God is trying to tell us something there, doesn’t it? And boy do I need that reminder almost every day…. Our preference should not be the end-all-be-all, my-way-or-the-highway type of request… but a request of humility, understanding that in ALL things, GOD KNOWS BEST.
Fearing God Is Where It Ought to Start… Because of Some Pretty Awesome Reasons
Fearing God means recognizing really & truly that God is GOD & we are NOT–that’s why true wisdom starts there. Couple that with the fact that God tells us directly NOT to rely on our OWN understanding, well, it stands to reason that when we pray, we ought to ask for HIS GOD-will to trump our own will… that He help us trust HIS will & that He uphold us in it & through it.
Prayer is not about bringing a grocery list of requests to God for Him to pop out as you ask them, allowing you to have your ideal life with zero struggle or pain.
Prayer is about bringing our requests to Him & asking with a BUT, “… BUT, help me to see YOUR will in this. Help me to face it in a way that honors YOU. Strengthen me & help me to give YOU glory—no matter the outcome, & help me trust that YOU will also be my enough every step through it & will work it out for my good because YOU are a good God.”
Pray your prayers with a heart of surrender, being willing to trade your preference for His perfectly wise & always GOOD will.
Who Would You Rather?
Consider it this way: If you had a choice between entrusting your faith to a toddler to help you know what is best… Or an adult… who would you rather call the shots? (Hint: We are the toddler in this scenario… & God is the adult, but so much more.)
Oh, we may want something REALLY badly & feel like it’s the absolute end of the world if we do not have it (our dream job, our dream guy, 2.5 kids with a white picket fence, or a clear bill of health–none of those are wrong to want, by the way)… But we only see & understand & know a mere FRACTION of what God sees, understands, & knows.
God sees & understands & knows EVERYTHING. Do we? I know I don’t.
(But let me tell you, it is getting harder for me to raise eyebrows at screaming, demanding-their-way toddlers nowadays because I’m beginning to realize how closely I must resemble them before God sometimes.)
So why oh why would we want & sometimes maybe even demand to get OUR way if it differs from GOD’S way?
God Is Good, So Good–Pray for His Will
I heard pastor & author Chip Ingram say in his video series on “God as He Longs for You to See Him”:
“God is all-wise & all-good, so if there was a gentler, kinder, better way for God to accomplish His perfect will for your life… That’s the way He would do it.”
-Chip Ingram
God knows what He’s talking about on literally EVERYTHING. So that’s why, when we pray, we ought to pray that God help us line up to His perspective & His will in the situation, that He help us trust in that even when we don’t really understand it or see how it could possibly be any good... that He help us through His way & in letting go of our way if it is His will.
“BUT, Your will be done… & help me to trust You through it… I don’t understand, but I know You do. And be my strength & guide & ENOUGH every step of the way.”
Do you pray to get your way or for help trusting God’s way?
Do You Pray to Get Your Way? Or for Help Trusting God’s Way?
Request your request, but have a heart willing to yield that request for His glory & His help through every step of it.
Because He may not give you what you so desperately want, but He WILL supply you with all you need through it, AS you lean into HIM as your Enough. He will NEVER waste your struggle or lack. EVER.
So, shine HOPE by turning your prayers from getting your way to asking for help in being willing to see God’s plan win over your own, & for Him to be your supply through it every step of the way.
He ALWAYS shows Himself faithful. And you can ALWAYS count on that.
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Aventurine Lock Bracelet (Dominican Republic)
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