The Be-Attitudes of the Christian Walk ~ Be Prayerful

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

I was sitting in my big comfy chair nursing a migraine. Heating pad on my neck, I had resigned myself to an unproductive and painful day. As I thought about what I had in my medicine cabinet, I realized I needed more tools for fighting this thorn in my flesh. At that moment, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that I already had the most powerful remedy available to humankind, prayer. 

So, I prayed. First, I asked Him to take away my headache. Second, I sought wisdom know what steps to take for relief. Third, I surrendered to the possibility that if I needed to endure this pain for a reason, that He would reveal His purpose to me. 

This wasn’t the first time that I had prayed to be healed from a migraine, but this time felt different, like a direct prompt to pray. 

God’s Purpose in Pain

The Lord does not always remove our thorns, but He always uses them to draw us closer to Him. Sometimes He allows us to experience pain, because He wants us to rest. Other times, He lets us endure suffering so that we can be a testimony of His grace to someone else. And sometimes, He reminds us to pray without ceasing, making our dependence on Him unmistakable. 

“Always be joyful.  Never stop praying. (or pray without ceasing)  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:17

Dependence on God in Every Season

As our Bible study group explored James 1, my friend asked us to unpack the verse that said those who are poor should take pride in their high position. Pondering her question, I reflected on times in our life when our family did not have plenty and our cupboards were not full to overflowing. I remembered how I prayed to have money to pay the bills, to buy groceries, and provide for the needs of our family. God, in His goodness, allowed us to be poor for a season to learn wisdom and dependence on Him. 

The experience of financial hardship drove me to approach life and faith through a more prayerful mindset. The discussion of James 1 was a good reminder, that even though we have plenty in the pantry, I still need to pray before making purchases, paying bills or making financial decisions. 

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!  Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.” James 5:13-18

Prayer is a Conversation, Not a Formula

God knows our needs before we voice them. But He still appreciates a gracious appeal for those needs and a heart of gratitude when we recognize He is the one providing.

I think the most important thing to remember about prayer is that it is just talking to God. It is not presenting a wish list; it is about a relationship. There are many wonderful methods of prayer – ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), praying the Lord’s Prayer,  and written or structured devotional prayers – but ultimately, prayer is simply talking to God.

Our prayers should not only be a verbalization of our shopping or wish lists. He wants us to talk to him about everything! He knows and understands our hearts, so nothing is off limits.

Think of it this way: Children don’t need to have a formula to talk to their parents and be understood. Neither do we need one for communication with our Heavenly Father.  

Have you ever reconnected with an old friend and talked for hours as if no time had passed? Or you might have a friend you talk with daily, someone who knows your heart intimately. Whether God is the first friend or the second, know He desires a relationship and conversation with you. And if you don’t think you have time for that good long conversation, simply whisper the prayer in your heart whenever it occurs to you. The line is always open. Live life with a prayerful be-attitude.

Questions for Reflection:

Do you feel like you have been praying but have not received answers? Don’t give up. Keep praying. 

Have you ever asked God to give you little glimpses of His faithfulness through answered prayer? When He does do you recognize it as an answer?

Are there areas of your life where you need to rely on prayer more intentionally?

God, the Creator of the Universe, knows you by name and cares about your joys, sorrows, hurts, and needs. I encourage you to start the morning with a prayer in your heart and keep the lines of communication with your Father open throughout the day. He is always listening, always ready and available.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, 

Help me remember you are always with me and desire a relationship with me. Help me to have an attitude of prayer that never ceases and trust that you hear me. Please strengthen my faith and draw me closer to You through the joys and trials I face. In Your Precious Name, Amen

For Further Reading:

Restore Your Soul with Seven Days of Prayer – By Keri Willis

The Power of Prayer by Charles Spurgeon 

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God – Timothy Keller

Luke 18:1-8 The Parable of the Persistent Widow

 Matthew 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer

I Kings 3:5-13 Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

Psalm 51 David’s Prayer for Repentance

Listen to this song and be encouraged: Don’t Stop Praying ~ Matthew West

I would love to hear your thoughts on the Be-Attitudes series. Do you have a suggestion for a “Be” topic?

I would be honored to pray for you today. Shoot me an email at soulwater@kerilynnwillis.com or leave a comment here.

If this has been an encouragement to you, please share it so others will also be encouraged.

P.S. After I first wrote and published this article, it felt woefully inadequate. There is no limit to the power of prayer and few words to describe it. I hope you will do your own search in Scripture to more fully grasp the concepts I attempted to share.