Stubborn Petitions of the Righteously Angry

A good friend of mine recently said, “I’ve prayed and prayed and NOTHING! It’s not working!”

I’ve heard many say that through the years, and I’ve said it, too. I think we have a misguided idea of prayer, though. It’s not to make things happen…it’s to bring us closer to God and make His peace more real in our spirit. 

We often pray for STUFF or a certain thing NOT TO HAPPEN, but if we compare our relationship with God to a healthy marriage, riddle me this: do you only talk to your spouse when you want something? Do you only spend time with them for what they can give you, or what they can do for you?

Now, we’re talking about a healthy relationship, so all you users can just keep your comments to yourself. 

We spend time with them because we love and trust them, and we’re determined to face life’s challenges together. We want to spend time with them because it makes us happy. It should be like that with God: spending time in prayer brings you closer to Him, and the more peace and joy you find in His presence, the more you are equipped to face tribulations and trials. 

So don’t spend five minutes in prayer and then lose your faith because “nothing happened.” Many times prayer doesn’t necessarily change your circumstances, it changes your heart. Hold on to faith with a white-knuckled grip, pressing in toward the Lord with an orange-flamed fury. 

The night skies are alive with the stubborn petitions of the righteously angry prayer warrior. Nothing should stop you from pressing in toward the Lion of Judah, our Rock and Fortress, the one and only living God.

Remember, you don’t pray to make yourself feel better or to get your own way in life: you pray to draw closer to the only One who can shield your soul from the fires of death and judgment. You pray because you want to spend time with Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. You pray because you love Him, and know He will never leave you nor forsake you. 

Pray because it’s the right thing to do, and don’t base your opinion of its potency on your feelings.