Do You Eye Roll When Someone Offers to Pray for You?
I have seen eye rolls in response to people saying they will pray for them—even eye rolls from Christian friends to other Christian friends. This shows me that there are some who simply do not understand the power & purpose of prayer.
I must admit that at times in my life, I have been amongst those doing the eye rolls, which eventually spurned me to pray about & seek to better understand it… & I’ve learned some things along the way.
Vain Repetitions?
For one, prayer has seemed to become seen as the “vain repetitions” that the Bible warns us against so strongly. (Matthew 6:7) Repeating religious sounding prayers or using many words to sound spiritual has absoutely no power.
Listing things & then saying “amen” does nothing, either. We can’t control God’s actions by using the right words or the right amount of words.
I also understand wanting to teach children how to pray, but we ought to be careful that we don’t further promote these empty, vain repetitions, whether it be a quotable children’s prayer before a meal, or one before bed, or even a quick adult prayer before a meal—they are often just spewed off without much thought or heart behind them… just “Christian words” built in as an expected “good Christian” ritual to do before we eat or sleep, neglecting to teach the true power behind prayer—the One to Whom we pray.
What Is Prayer to You?
Saying we’ll pray for someone is even the Christian-learned response to someone’s distress or problems… but how often are those issues actually prayed for?
When you pray, do you just list off your needs like a checklist?
Do you decide what you need or want & then come to God to carry them out for you?
Do you plan your life & ask God to make it happen?
And if so… do you get mad, feel jaded or neglected when God does not carry it out as such? What is prayer to you?
At the Feet of Jesus
Consider Mary, in the story told of her & her sister hosting Jesus at their home. (Luke 10:38-42) Where was Mary? She was sitting at Jesus’ feet, soaking up His wisdom & teaching, sitting in awe of her LORD.
Or David, & other authors of the Psalms, how their prayers were raw, didn’t hold back in their anger or hurt or fear or emotions… but always made a point to direct their hearts to the faithfulness, love & power of GOD. (Psalm 73)
Moses understood… eventually… that God was the One to supply the power in his obedience to God’s leading… & so trusted God to provide where he could not. (Exodus 4)
These aren’t passive, regurgitated prayers or prayers out of habit or “just in case” prayers, these are prayers of FAITH, understanding that their prayers don’t have power because of the level of their faith or the use of the right words, but because of WHOM they place their faith!
These are prayers of humility, repentance, coming before a Holy ALMIGHTY GOD, imploring of Him as someone who deserves absolutely nothing, but simultaneously understands the absolute generosity, power, & love of their LORD.
Have You Been Praying about It?
When I ask you, “Have you been praying about it?” I am not offering some trite Christianese solution, I am asking if you have been trusting your own personal wisdom, that of others, your efforts, outside solutions… or whether you have trusted GOD Almighty to be the One Who absolutely knows how to help & CAN help you in whatever situation it is you find yourself.
Bowing it before God, humbly imploring Him for a solution & help is THE BEST place you will find the answers to what you are seeking/need.
Coming to me or someone else is not anything close to what God can do!
We Don’t Control God
God is not someone you come to to carry out your plans & give you what you want & make all your dreams come true… He is GOD ALMIGHTY, whom you bow before, humbly offering your requests, trusting boldly that He invites your petitions with open arms.
It is an honor & a privilege. It is an immense blessing. It is not to be taken lightly. We don’t control God.
Because of all this, a single prayer holds more power than an entire planet of people putting their minds, strength, & efforts together to make something happen… more than all the self-will & self-determination & planning & efforts one can even dream to muster.
A single prayer holds more power than your wildest dreams, & God is able to immeasurably more than you can ask or even imagine through a prayer (Ephesians 3:20-21)…. Because prayer is an act of trust, turning to GOD instead of to yourself or to human efforts.
What Prayer Is Not
But prayer doesn’t mean an automatic, guaranteed way to get your way. It is a bowing to His way & trusting His way to be better than yours no matter the appearances or your feelings in the moment… trusting He knows what He is doing best.
Doubting, turning to Him as a “just in case” or “backup” while turning elsewhere as well, will not get you an answer. God wants you to know that you know that you know that it was from HIM. (James 1:6-7) He’s not the backup. He’s the solution.
Also, if you don’t ask, you can’t expect to receive. Because again, you trusted in something other than Him. Or, if you ask for something that dishonors God or to spend on your own pleasures, don’t expect to get anything from God in that. (James 4)
Peace IN the Storm
Prayer doesn’t mean an automatic, guaranteed out for any pain or struggle or hardship, either. It is a bowing to His leading, His strength, His peace in the storms to carry you through whatever may come.
There is a little verse I need to regularly remind myself of—about impossible peace… peace in the midst of situations that would naturally erase any chance of hope. Because God CAN where we CAN’T. (Philippians 4:6-7; Isaiah 26:3)
It’s not easy to do, to bow what we think we have to have or what we think we NEED or what we think we have all figured out… to defer to God & His wisdom instead, relinquishing your imagined sense of “power” & “control” in a situation, to LET Him be GOD, but BOY is it WORTH it.
God knows what He is doing 100% while we only see or think or understand in PART.
Yes, we can certainly ask God for help, for wisdom, for what we wish… while understanding that He ought to have the final say… while trusting that God will take care of you quite sufficiently EVEN IF He chooses not to answer the way you wish… because He knows better.
(*An encouraging song that has helped me understand this is “Sometimes He Calms the Storm [& Other Times He Calms His Child]” by Joshua Bullock.*)
How to Pray & When
When we pray before a meal, it ought not be a ritualistic routine, but also doesn’t need to be a long drawn-out, “more religious” type of prayer… but mirroring Jesus’ habit of a simple voicing of gratitude for God’s provisions. (Luke 22:19; John 6:11)
When we pray for a friend, it’s not about “saying all the right words” or something nice to do to be “a good Christian,” but rather an act of humility & trust & understanding that God is more capable than you or anyone else to help them.
God says to “pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) as if, instead of having inner dialogue, you recognize He can hear your thoughts & so direct them to Him as a conversation in your thoughts, recognizing He is ever with you & hears you & cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-7)
Who Do We Pray To?
The Bible says that fearing God is the BEGINNING of WISDOM. (Proverbs 9:10) Why? Because it’s an understanding that God is GOD… & I am NOT. Do you pray like that?
Trusting yourself over a God Who knows & sees all & holds all power to create the world & everything in it… well, it’s simply not wise.
We can trust Him. Even when He doesn’t give us any of what we so strongly are convinced that we absolutely cannot live without. He is God & I am not. I can trust Him.
He loves us with an incomprehensible love… a love that compelled Him to send Jesus to pay for the debt we could never come close to paying. God LOVES you… & if He gave His Son to redeem us from the wrath we deserve, how much more can we expect Him to care for us in life? (Romans 8:32)
What Even Is Prayer?
What even is prayer?
If you think your prayers hold no power… is it because your prayers are more about a backup effort to carry out your plans & your will… more about trusting yourself or regurgitating Christian-sounding words… more than they are about submitting your requests to a HOLY ALMIGHTY GOD who loves you & gave so much already for you because of that love?
Let your prayers be a reflection of trust, of hope in Him, of that humble understanding of all He is.
He is worth trusting in every time; & a single prayer to GOD is worth infinite of anything else because He can do what no one else can.
God Can
When life crumbles around me
When life swallows me up like an insurmountable rush of destruction
When life threatens & mocks & rips at me
When I’m not wanted
When I feel alone
When I am criticized & ridiculed
When I feel no one is on my side
When all my efforts fall flat
When everything I try fails miserably
When nothing I work so hard at seems to make a dent
When life strangles me, smacks me, or turns its back on me
When peace seems an extreme impossibility
God can.
God’s peace can swell & overcome
God has a plan & will turn it for my good & His glory
GOD can be TRUSTED.
God is LOVE.
God sent Jesus to die for the sins of the world (including mine)
God sent Jesus to die for the sins I could never repay
God accepts all those who repent of their sins & who accept the payment His Son gave for us
God forgives
God is ENOUGH
God answers prayers
So. Pray.
Do You Need to Adjust How You Pray?
Are you an eye roller toward prayer? Do you maybe need to reassess the purpose or power of prayer? The Power behind prayer being not the words you say, but the God to Whom you say those words to?
Do you need to adjust how you pray?
Shine HOPE, by praying in humility, trusting in the absolute power & overwhelming love of our great God Almighty.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for SIX years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3
If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!
Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Fiesta Earrings (INDIA)
Make a summertime fair-trade fashion statement with the Fiesta Earrings! These gorgeous beaded tassel earrings feature a triangular gold-tone frame and colorful beaded fringe in shades of blue, pink, orange, tan, and cream. These unique artisanal earrings are handcrafted in a workshop in India that’s committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans.
How You Can Help:
SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!
Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
