Your Questions!
Does prayer work?
This is a great question and one that followers of Jesus have been asking for many years!
It is easier to believe that prayer works when our prayers are answered, and harder when our prayers are not answered.
Most Christians have prayed for things that never came to be. On other occasions, prayers are answered, some even in miraculous ways.
We could hear many stories from those who could share their experience and perspective. It is encouraging to hear how God is at work and how a variety of prayers are answered. Someone once said that God always answers prayers; sometimes yes, sometime no, and sometimes not yet.
So, yes prayer works, it might just not work in the way that we want!
Or, maybe the answer to our prayers is different that we anticipated, but better in the long run.
Some guiding principles:
- Be persistent in prayer. The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing.”
- Realize that prayer is more than “asking” from God. It is about developing a relationship with our Creator.
- Follow God’s lead regarding the things you are praying about. Does my prayer line up with biblical principles for followers of Jesus? What does the Bible have to say about the things I am praying about?
- Know that God knows best in the big scheme of things. Even Jesus knew that when he was dying on the cross, “Not my will, but Yours.”
- Do your part in seeing the prayer answered. If I am praying for a job and do nothing to get a job, then it is no surprise that my prayer is unanswered. But, when I pray for a job, then go out and visit workplaces with my resume and phone to make connections, it is more likely my prayer will be answered!
