Prayer is a rather common concept. No matter what religion someone follows, they usually pray. Christians are no different. In fact, prayer is an integral part of a Christian’s life.
The dictionary calls prayer a reverent or devout petition to God. And defines petition as a respectful or humble request. Certainly, we can and do make lots of requests to God.
But another definition of prayer is: a spiritual communion with God as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession. I like this definition because prayer is so much more than just asking God for stuff.
Prayer is an invaluable tool when times are tough. In those times, we may try to figure things out ourselves; but how much better it is to call in the Expert! When we don’t know what to do; what a relief it is to ask God for help! And at the times when there is nothing we can do, our hearts rest in the assurance of the Almighty God’s undivided attention!
Prayer is also thanking God and praising Him. And thanksgiving isn’t reserved only for answered prayer. I often thank God just for listening. He always does! We can thank God before we receive our answer because we are confident that the answer is coming. Of course, we shouldn’t forget to say thanks when our prayers are answered too. And let’s also remember to praise God when everything is running smoothly. (Sometimes we can forget about that one.)
As far as confession – it’s not telling God how terrible you are or listing all the bad things you did. It’s simply telling God that you’re sorry when you mess up. And what’s really cool about that is that when you say you’re sorry (and mean it!), God forgets all about it. He holds none of it against us.
I share all of this because I want to tell you some news. My husband got a job! After almost 11 months, our prayers were answered, and he got a great new job. And I thought that sharing our experience may help anyone who might be in a similar type of situation.
At the end of July last year, my husband was laid off due to the company’s lack of business as a result of the pandemic. And this happened on the heels of buying a new home, moving to a new state, and my retiring. Needless to say, at that time, the uncertainty of the future was a scary proposition. At first, we were undaunted, thinking surely this situation wouldn’t last long. We thought this would be a little vacation. But as the months began to stack up, it became a little more difficult to remain positive. However, when doubt would arise, we would do our best to keep it in check. We had some money saved, but that was supposed to be for later, not now. We learned to be more frugal, but we never stopped living our lives. We paid attention to our budget, but we didn’t live like paupers.
And all the time, we prayed. We prayed for ‘financial assistance’, which God aptly provided along the way. We prayed for the best job that would not only meet our needs, but also would be agreeable. (I didn’t want my husband to have to work someplace where he’d be miserable.) And we prayed for God to bless us, so that we could bless others.
The challenge in these types of situations is to remain patient and not become complacent. I have to admit that I had my moments! But my husband was a trooper. He would search the employment sites every day and apply to every job within his skillset. He would get responses, even interviews, and then nothing would follow. Until one day a colleague referred him for a job, and within a few days, my husband was reemployed!
When I look back on this situation, I remember the many thoughts that I had to battle in my mind. And I’m sure my husband was wresting with the same thoughts. Things like being anxious, discouraged, jealous, resentful, worried, confused, doubtful or afraid. We can’t always keep these thoughts away from us, but we can stop them from lingering in our minds. Kick them out as soon as you can catch them! And don’t beat yourself up for momentary negative thoughts. Those thoughts are like the ants that slip into our houses through the tiniest cracks. We are not failures for having those thoughts, we are successes for refuting them!
God’s handiwork is apparent in these situations. How do you survive when your income doesn’t cover your expenses? How do you stay positive after so many let-downs? How do you help someone else when you’re hurting? By trusting God in prayer and allowing Him to provide for you. The Bible says, “casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) When we do this, we allow God to work for us and supply His solution. Our minds may tell us that we can’t wait for God’s solution or that our own solution is necessary. But if we patiently and continually pray and believe that God will provide, He will. Don’t settle for second best. His solution is always better than anything we could come up with! Just because we don’t see a prayer answered right away does not mean that God isn’t working for us! It is often a matter of timing, hence the necessity for patience.
If you are facing a similar situation in any category of life, take time to pray. Ask God for His solution. Thank Him for His care and concern. Praise Him for loving kindness. Ask all your friends to pray and believe with you for your deliverance. (So many wonderful people were praying for us!) There is power in prayer; and edification knowing that others are standing together with you. There is also a great wave of rejoicing when you’re able to share your victory with them.
We never have to beg God. We simply pray with believing because we have seen what He has already done. The Bible is full of examples of what God is able to do. And I’m sure we have seen His blessings in our lives or in the lives of others many times. This current situation is not any different. I often tell myself, “If God can do that… He can certainly do this.” Our confidence is in God; and we refuse to accept any 5-senses evidence that is contrary to His promises. Remember, “you and God always make a majority”!
Stay faithful to prayer. Believe that God will do what He said He will do. Don’t be so proud as to not allow others to help you. They can be inspired to bless you, allow them to give, especially in prayer. Be patient and confident. God is a loving Father who wants to take care of His kids.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Note to my readers: I hope if you are in a similar situation that this was helpful and blessed you. I pray for everyone who reads my blog. And I rejoice at your victories. Thanks for reading!