Other People's Prayers

 

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Some of us explain everything in detail to God about a situation, as if we're explaining everything FOR God. This reminds me of a method of writing a report that needed to be a certain number of pages long, where we might include abstract points just to take up space on the pages.

Some of us are a bit flowery with our prayers, as if the beautiful, flowing words of our prayer will impact their power. 

Some of us insert a phrase or title for God multiple times in each breath of a prayer. 

Some of us equate the length of our prayer to how well it will be received, trying to impress God with the effort we've put into it. 

Some of us interrupt ourselves while we pray, perhaps to talk to someone else in the room or to mentally make note about things we need to do later in the day or week...

Some of us are pithy or pray bullet points, giving just the facts to God, as we see them. 

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Some of us pause often, perhaps listening for what God is saying in response, or maybe we've lost our own thought. 

Some of us cry while we pray, maybe we feel our prayers are more earnest when accompanied with tears, perhaps because what we're praying about truly moves our heart and we expect that it will move God's heart, as well.

Sometimes our prayers may come out sounding vain and repetitive. Only we know if they're coming from the heart or are merely a grouping of words we've memorized. 

Sometimes our prayers sound desperate - sometimes we ARE desperate. 

Sometimes we can't find the words to pray. 

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Some of our prayers may sound trite and unimportant to anyone but us.

Some of us may even think our prayers are unimportant to God, Himself. 

Some of us may feel unworthy to pray, bringing our prayers and needs before the perfect God of all. 

Some of us pray very loud, perhaps thinking the louder our voice, the better God will hear us. 

Some of us refuse to pray out loud or in front of others. 

Some of us fall asleep while praying. 

Some of us repeat ourselves when we pray, perhaps we've forgotten we just mentioned it to God or we're making sure He takes special note of this particular request. And then, we repeat it again. And again. 

Some of us kneel when we pray. 

Some of us stand or walk around or sit or lie down when we pray. 

Some of us write out our prayers.

Some of us close our eyes when we pray, some of us keep them wide open. 

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Some of us are embarrassed to pray. 

Some of us are very proud to pray. 

Some of us pray bossy prayers. 

Some of us pray as if we have no clue what to say. 

Some of us pray as a tradition or habit (over our meals, for example) without giving thought to what we've prayed.

Some of us pray spontaneously. 

Some of us fold our hands when we pray. 

Some lift our hands toward heaven. 

Some of us pray, not believing God hears us. 

Some of us ask God for things like we're reading off a Christmas wish list. 

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Some of us judge the way others pray. 

 

Some of us pray..... 

 

Other people's prayers are theirs to pray. 

Our prayers are ours to give up to God. 

God desires our company, our attention, our time and our love. He'll direct our prayers if we'll allow Him into our prayer time. He wants to hear our hearts, yielded to Him. Honestly, humbly and boldly. 

We're not being graded on the quality or style of our prayers. We're making way for and creating a time of communion with God; unity between Creator and creation. We're surrendering our heart.

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 "Pray without ceasing."

1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV

 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Philippians 4:6 NIV

 

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

Matthew 21:22 KJV

 

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

Mark 11:23 KJV

 

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession."

James 1:2-18 NLT

 

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