Why Pray?

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30

The topic for my post today, after a year of "silence" in the blogging world, may shock some of the people who are closest to me. If you have been reading my husband's blog, kevinsmarathon.blogspot.com, then you have a bit of background on our situation as it exists. I won't recount trials or bore you with a long list of "woe-is-me"s.  Basically, Kevin and I have been experiencing life...and life has trials... and trials are never convenient, always life-changing and most times, mind-boggling.

One thing I have come to realize about trials is that they are neither deserving nor un-deserving. What I mean to say is that I don't believe God sits on His heavenly throne doling out trials as a punishment or reward. I've heard some Christians speak as if they believe that if we're good, nothing bad will happen to us. I'm not sure if they really believe that, but it's not true. It's certainly not biblical. In Psalm 126, the Israelites were celebrating - maybe about their return from captivity, remembering how wonderful God had been to them. But then in verse 4, the Psalmist asks for God to "do it again. Bring rains to our drought-stricken lives." Not asking for forgiveness; just asking for relief, for joy again. Christians are supposed to expect tears. Ezekiel 11:36 - "I will remove from them their heart of stone and I will give them a new heart of flesh." I am more vulnerable, more feeling, more apt to share grief and hurts with others. So when the tearful trials come, I need to take them to my Father.

In addition to this, I have discovered a new-found hope and reassurance in prayer. I can tell you what I've been taught about prayer and what the Bible says about prayer. But if I can't tell you about my personal experience with prayer, I might as well not talk about it. In his last post, Kevin talked about brutal honesty, "100% Stinky Lessons." So to be honest, lately I've had some "why pray? moments." I've struggled with the, "If God is omnipotent (all-powerful-and I believe He is), if He is omniscient (all-knowing-and I believe He is) and if He is omnipresent (ever, always present - and I believe He is), then what does it matter if I pray? What does it matter since others are praying for me? If God intends for Kevin or for me to be healed, won't He heal us anyway? What if He doesn't?" No, I'm not proud of these "temper-tantrum" moments. I'm just being honest. So after talking to God about my prayer-doubts (yes, you can do that - He knows about them anyway), here are some things He has shown me.

• Prayer is about maintaining a personal relationship with a personal Savior. Kevin and I were talking about this very topic. I think he summed it up best by saying, "How do we maintain our relationships with our own kids? If we never communicate with them, we begin not to know them anymore." God will always know ME, but I can reach a point where I don't know HIM anymore - where I'm not as familiar with His desire for me or His guidance in life - a point where I just don't feel love from my heavenly Father. That's a lonely place.

• Prayer is my opportunity for honesty before the One who knows me best and loves me most. I admit my fears, confess my failures, request (sometimes plead) what I want and need (and for the wisdom to know the difference). 

• Prayer helps me grow. I was made to praise God and enjoy relationships. Without these, my life would be void. Tim Keller put it best when he said we must develop the disciplines of thinking, thanking and loving. "Whatever is true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise, not things to curse." Phil 4:8 (MSG) Think on these things, and I believe, pray/meditate on these things. "Don't be anxious, but pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done," Phil 4:6 (NLT). God works all of it out for good for His children who are called for His purposes - Romans 8:28. It's like God looks down on me saying, "My child, I love you. So when you make a request, I will give you what you would have asked for if you would have known everything I know." I thank Him because, in spite of my limited understanding, He allows for me what is best. And lastly, love. Even if I could do all things greatly, have all the talents and skills possible, and "if I don't have love, I am nothing," I Cor 13:2. I need prayer to learn to love God, myself and others well. Prayers helps me see situations and others through the eyes of my Father.

• Prayer isn't about changing my circumstances. It's about changing how I handle my circumstances. I realize that in this moment, I'm seeing "through a glass darkly," I Cor. 13:9. One day all of God's reasons will be clear to me. Until then, I pray.

So this was my answer to my prayer about prayer. My cousin, who is enduring trials of her own right now, sent this link as encouragement. No doubt God brought me to her mind so I could be encouraged as part of His teaching me that prayer does matter. This is a post from John Piper - http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/you-can-never-ask-too-much I pray God speaks to you through it.