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WHY DON'T WE JUST PRAY?

by willetta pilcher  
9/08/2007 / Prayers

We seek counseling... We call friends... We bend the pastor's ear... We worry and stew..
We read books... We conduct Bible studies... We ask others to pray...

WHY DON'T WE JUST PRAY?

Is it because we don't think we know how to pray effectively?
That we won't receive an answer? Or at least the answer won't be what we want?
Do we think our prayers are somehow ineffective because we don't measure up to our own standard of righteousness?
Is it because we find no hope in the situation? That we see no way out?
Is it because we do not believe God can fix it?
Are we afraid God will not answer? Are we afraid God won't answer the way we think he should?
Or that God will be too slow?
Are we unwilling to let go of "our way?"
Are we afraid that God will allow us or others to suffer before an answer comes?
Are we afraid we cannot stand to be under pressure?
Are we afraid of what God will ask of us?
That he will ask a new level of righteousness/ holiness on our part?
That he will ask us to work out some issues in our own lives first?

WHY DON'T WE JUST PRAY?

It was God's desire ... In the beginning... that humanity "Partner" with Him in this earth. I believe that is why He came down and "walked" with Adam every evening. So that they could share thoughts with each other and God could impart His wisdom into Adam so he, Adam, would know how to accomplish God's will for this planet. But Adam broke that relationship. However, Jesus restored it!

Our communication with God comes in the form of prayer and reading and studying His word. It is during those times that he relays his heart to us and we tell him what is on our heart.

In the beginning... God said... Gen 1:26 "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

But for some reason... we are not happy with dominion over the earth and its creatures. We want a dominion that reaches beyond our authority.

We want to be able to control people and God. Let's face it. It just ain't gonna' happen! Who do we think we are?

Authority and Control appeals to us. Servanthood doesn't. We would rather call the shots.

God has given us certain rights, and authority over certain things. He has also given us certain responsibilities. But he has never given us the authority to exercise "our authority" over other people. He gives the power of control over our life to us. Basically we are not satisfied with what we have been given. We want more!

One of the "rights" we have is to CHOOSE our own destiny. It is a right given to every person on the face of the earth. No amount of coercion, begging, pleading, training, imprisonment, or torture can take that right away from us. WE decide whether we will or will not serve the Lord and thereby choose our destiny.

That is an awesome privilege. I used to think that was UNJUST until one day God explained something to me. He said, "If you could decide the destiny of other people, then another person could decide your destiny and you would have nothing to say about it. That would be UNJUST!" God will not take away our right to choose our own destiny.

We have the "right" to ASK in His name. That means we have the "right" to PRAY. The ASKING part presupposes that the person being asked has a right to refuse or respond favorably to our request. God will not violate His own WORD just to meet our request.

We have the responsible to PRAY for our children, the needs of others, and our own needs. When we pray, we may ASK for WISDOM and receive it so that we may fulfill our responsibilities toward others and ourselves. That gives us the right and the ability to partner with God as He works out the details of our request.

James 1:5-6 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

We must LISTEN to His ADVICE and FOLLOW it. And let me assure you, it will CONFLICT with our ideas on many occasions.

Where is the HOPE in this that God will respond to our request? Do you remember the scripture we read about wisdom... Let him ask in FAITH... without it we won't receive. Faith is that confident assurance that God will respond, that we may trust His judgment concerning our request, and that we will receive according to His will. We must surrender to His will and His timing... resting in Him as He works on our behalf. Our responsibility is to trust, surrender, pray and respond in obedience.

Prayer changes US. It changes our living habits. It changes our understanding of God. It changes the way we see others. It changes our perspective. It creates TRUST and FAITH in God. John Wesley said, "It seems that God is limited by our prayer life, that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him to do it."

So... WHY DON'T WE JUST PRAY?

Willetta has spent most of her life ministering to people. In her late seventies, and a wheelchair now her mode of travel, she now ministers to people through the internet. Her webs are...
www.teachmethyways.org
www.successwithkids.org
www.theseedsower.org

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