Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to pray consistently?
You know that you should do it . . .
You read about it in the Bible . . .
You’ve heard stories about how powerful it is . . .
But at the end of the day, it doesn’t seem to add anything to your life. Whether you pray or not doesn’t seem to make things any better or worse. You are sure that God hears and answers the prayers of some people, but as far as you are concerned, something is missing.
If you have ever felt this way, then you are in good company. Even King David – the man after God’s own heart – experienced seasons of loneliness. Listen to what he says in some of his Psalms.
o Psalm 10:1 - Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
o Psalm 13:1-2 – How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
o Psalm 35:17 – How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
While there might be periods of time when God seems distant, the enduring testimony of those who pray consistently, is that God accomplishes his greatest work through the power of prayer.
Listen to what some godly men have said about their experience of prayer.
1. “I had rather teach ONE man to pray than TEN men to preach.” D.L. Moody (one of the greatest preachers of the 19th century)
2. “Prayer fills a man’s emptiness with God’s fullness.” E.M. Bounds
3. “I have joyfully dedicated my whole life to the object of exemplifying how much may be accomplished by PRAYER and FAITH.” George Mueller
4. “The prayer that is born of meditation upon the Word of God is the prayer that soars upward most easily to God’s listening ears.” R.A. Torrey
5. “Not only does God command us to pray, he permits us to pray. Prayer is both a must and a may, an obligation and a GIFT.” Ben Patterson
6. “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer IS the greater work.” Oswald Chambers
7. “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all, but whatever I placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” Martin Luther
8. “All our failures (in ministry and in life) may be ultimately traced to a defect of faith. We ask but for little, we expect but little, we are satisfied with little; and therefore we gain and do but little. Charles Bridges
9. "The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. If God is not FIRST in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the LAST place the remainder of the day." E.M. Bounds
10. “The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'" J. Hudson Taylor
11. "Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness." Martin Luther
12. "Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure." D. L. Moody
13. “If the church today would regain the degree of spiritual power of the early Church, it must recover the truth and practice of prayer as a vital working force.” D. Edmond Hiebert
14. “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your task.” Phillips Brooks
Making it personal
Wherever you are in your prayer journey, consider joining our combined Sunday school class this summer. We will be reading through the book A Journey to Victorious Praying by Bill Thrasher and studying the Scriptures that guide us in our prayer life. The book is devotional in nature and includes practical helps for every believer. The personal stories of those who have been marked by prayer are also a powerful addition. If you would like to couple yourself to Divine Strength in a way that is growing and progressive, then consider taking part in this class.