The Pressure to Pray
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. Romans 8:26-27 NLT
Insight
When I take the time to pray for others, I often get overwhelmed. As soon as I whisper, “Dear Heavenly Father…” my anxious mind starts firing off names and causes I “need” to pray over, all in rapid succession. I feel a crushing pressure to make time to pray for everyone I know who is struggling. More than that, I want to pray for those I don’t know—for any person facing injustice, poverty, abuse, loss, or illness. I want to pray for the Church, for our nation, for nonbelievers, for my own healing and growth… the list goes on and on. (It should be noted that my desire to pray for these things is often compromised by my easily-exhaustible patience, short attention span, and self-centeredness… but I digress.)
The enemy convinces me that if I don’t pray over every malady, it will be “my fault” if things don’t turn out well. I figure that if she’s still sick, if he’s still struggling with addiction, or if they still don’t believe in Christ, it must be because I didn’t pray “hard” or “consistently” enough. Perhaps you’ve felt this way at some point in your faith journey, too.
Thankfully, the fate of the world is in God’s hands, not our folded hands. Our prayers do make a difference. God listens intently and lovingly to every single one. He is delighted when we bring our requests and desires before Him. Though, whether our prayer lives are fervent or lackluster, our Father will continue to work all things together for His glory and the good of those He loves (Romans 8:28). Our prayers, or lack thereof, aren’t strong enough to stop God from making His perfect and pleasing will come to pass. Our prayers do not save others or redeem their situations. God is the Savior, the Healer, and the Great Provider. Our arrogance is truly on display when we buy into the lie that God needs our prayers to do good work in the world.
No matter how hard we try, we cannot pray over every little thing that breaks our hearts or causes us worry. But we don’t have to. Thankfully, we serve a loving God Who holds the whole universe together. He is sovereign over every little detail of every human life.
We are promised in Romans 8 that even when we don’t, can’t, or won’t take the time to pray for something or someone, the Holy Spirit is faithful to intercede on our behalf. God knows the desires of our hearts before we can even articulate what they are. He always knows what we want, and in His grace, He gives us what we need.
However, God’s omniscience isn’t an excuse for us to neglect prayer. This reality should give us a deeper desire to talk to the King Who is kind enough to listen to us, love us completely, and lavish blessings upon us, despite our brokenness. After all, prayer is about building an intimate relationship with God through honest, vulnerable, ongoing conversation. Prayer is about learning Who God is and gaining His eyes to see the world around us. Prayer also allows us to see our circumstances, tragic as they may be, in light of His goodness.
Prayer is not about controlling our environment or forcing God to do what we want Him to do. It is about relinquishing control and remembering the character of the One Who governs our world and directs our lives. Prayer is a practice of trust. Part of praying with faith is remembering that even the prayers we don’t say are heard and acknowledged.
Reflection
What is the state of your prayer life?
Do you feel “pressure” to pray, as if your failure to pray will bring disaster?
Prayer
Father, thank You for inviting me to talk to You. Thank You for listening to my prayers and providing for my needs. Thank You for answering my prayers the way You want to, rather than the way I want You to. I trust that what You have for me is the best for me. I trust that what You have in store for the world is what is best for the world. Lord, free me from the pressure I place on myself to pray for everyone and everything. Let me trust that You are good, You are sovereign, and that You have it all under control. Lord, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for His persistence in interceding for me. Thank You for knowing what my soul needs most, even when my prayers are left unsaid. I love You, and I want to know You more. Let my practice of prayer increase my trust in You and understanding of Your character. In Your Holy Name, amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.