Often we think of prayer as a last resort.
We say: “All we can do is pray,” in difficult situations, as if doing anything else at all besides prayer would be a preferable alternative. We think that doing something ourselves, ANYTHING at all, would be a more effective solution than just prayer… prayer is only the backup plan, the last resort we keep tucked away for the worst scenarios.
I get it. Troubles make us feel helpless, especially if we are watching a loved one struggle. Our deepest desire is to help, to feel that we are making a difference.
We also yearn to control our own destinies. We can feel so weak when the only available option is prayer. To pray is to admit WE are powerless. Prayer concedes that we need God afterall. Don’t we though?
The truth is so much BETTER.
Prayer allows us to communicate with the One who created the entire universe. To pray is to converse with the most powerful entity that exists. It should be our FIRST option. Plan A! Anything we could personally accomplish pales alongside the massive force that is our God.
But do you ever wonder, would such a being as God stoop down to listen to ME? Does He care about my troubles?
Yes. YES! He tells us YES over and over again. Jesus says, “Come to Me.” Paul urges us to “pray continually.” King David declares, “the Lord will hear me when I cry out to Him.” John, the beloved disciple, assures us that “He listens to us.” God Himself promises, “I will listen to you…” “call to Me and I will answer and reveal to you wondrous secrets that you haven’t known.”*
MY prayer is that we believers understand how powerful prayer really is. If we only could catch the tiniest glimpse of it, we would collectively fall to our knees. We would devour His presence with insatiable hunger. The roar of our voices would rip open the doors of heaven. Our prayers would change the whole world!
(Matthew 11:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Psalm 4:3, 1 John 5:14, Jeremiah 29:12, Jeremiah 33:3)
Photos from Crystal Bridges “Listening Forest” in Rogers, Arkansas
