The Power of Prayer Part 2

Communication is at the core of every relationship, including our relationship with God.  Prayer is simply communication with God.  It is our avenue to talking directly to Him, and hearing directly from Him.  Have you ever tried to have a close friendship that is based solely on a few meaningless texts?  It won't happen.  Have you tried to get to know someone without a heartfelt talk?  Its difficult to do.  Have you gotten close to someone by simply reading about them, without ever talking to them?  Impossible.

Prayer is an amazing gift.  

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

The God of the universe hears us and we can have confidence in approaching Him.  The smallest, dumbest prayers are not lost.  Yes, even when you pray that you don't have lipstick on your teeth while you're talking, He hears it.  He heard it when you prayed for the sick loved one.  He heard it when you told Him you feel like you can't take it anymore.

I know when I was going through my divorce there were times I didn't feel He could hear me.  Things didn't go my way.  My marriage wasn't saved.  We didn't put things back together.  God didn't take me down the path I felt I should have gone down.  Surely, He must not have heard me.  

The Bible says otherwise.  When I really think about it, the heart of my prayers were that I would have a happy, peaceful marriage.  I prayed for a total turnaround, with both of our eyes on Christ.  It didn't happen.  But, it doesn't mean God didn't hear me.  He simply, in his infinite wisdom, knows right now reconciliation is not possible in my situation.

  

In the meantime, He reminds me the heart of my prayer, the request for happiness and peace is available through Him.  If I can keep my eyes on the things He's given, instead of what I don't have, my prayers turn from "Why didn't you do this for me?" to "Thank You for seeing me through the worst years of my life."

Prayers of gratitude will change your life.  Human nature pulls our eyes away from being thankful, but a focus on gratitude changes our prayers from a request list to a relationship.  Instead of asking for more, gratitude reminds us to look at what we have.  In the chapter of Luke, Jesus heals ten lepers.  However, only one returns to thank Him. Isn't that story telling of our human nature?  We can forget to be grateful in the greatest of blessings.  However, the one leper who returned to thank Jesus is the one who was changed on the inside as well as physically healed.  

Psalm 92

1It is good to praise the Lord

    and make music to your name, O Most High,

2 proclaiming your love in the morning

    and your faithfulness at night,

3 to the music of the ten-stringed lyre

    and the melody of the harp.

4 For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;

    I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

5 How great are your works, Lord,

    how profound your thoughts!

Prayers of gratitude bring joy.  Focusing on God and the blessings He brings into our lives brings joy.  It isn't material things.  It isn't the promotion at work, or the ten pounds you want to lose.  More of what doesn't already make us happy isn't going to magically make us happy.  Its time to look for joy somewhere new!  Every day we have breath in our lungs is a blessed day.

One thing that I still use as a help in this area is a gratitude journal.  On the days I struggled to find anything good, especially immediately after our separation, I would look back on my gratitude journal to remind myself of the blessings God gave me during that time.  A gratitude journal also trains your mind to be looking for things to be grateful for.  When you're looking for blessings, all of a sudden, you'll begin to see more and more of them.  You'll start to notice things you typically would have missed because you're completely focused on your problems.  On the dark days, a gratitude journal is a good tool to help pull you out of the pit.

I remember when Alex was diagnosed with cancer at age 7.  We were in the hospital prepping for brain surgery, and I was in a very dark pit of despair.  As we waited for him to go back for surgery, the nurse had informed us we would be pushed back an hour.  "Why?" I wanted to know.  "Another child, more urgent, has been flown in this morning" was the answer.

I later heard the entire story.  A little girl had been flown into the hospital from overseas - paid for by her family.  Our neurosurgeon told the family his devastating diagnosis.  He could do surgery and give them hopefully another year with her, but the recovery would be very difficult.  Or they could say goodbye over the next few days.  

In my worst moment, there was another family going through more.  Alex's diagnosis wasn't fully known, but he wasn't dying in the next few days.  I remember God showing me the importance of always keeping my eyes on Him during that time.  Even if we only had a few months left with Alex, it was a blessing.  In our darkest hour, we had something to be grateful for.

Gratitude turns a terrible situation upside down, and causes you to view it differently.  Gratitude adds God into the situation, showing you His fingerprints, His presence.  Prayers of thankfulness are simply saying to God "I saw you today.  I know You were there."

He gives us so much to be grateful for.