This past Sunday, we examined the Roman Centurion’s trust in Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus marveled at his faith and instantly healed his servant. Does faith always get an immediate answer like that? We know from experience that our prayers are not always answered, but is it because our faith is weak? In God’s providence, he may not answer the prayer right away or in the way we expect. What our prayer of faith does is not bring about the miracle but invite the presence of God into the situation.
Today, many people can experience anxiety, weariness, stress, isolation, and division. Life can be difficult. We look to David, in the book of Psalms, who prayed through various life circumstances. He sought the Lord and invited him into every betrayal, joy, anger, stress, and blessing.
The challenge arises when we have lengthy trials, where there is often no easy solution. The Lord does not always release us from those trials, and Christians are not immune to tragedies. You long for relief, and it is not there. The harsh reality is that God may not quickly solve the conflict or suffering. Rather, He desires an invitation into the difficulty. He wants to be present with you in the difficulty, not necessarily to promptly resolve it. We read the often-repeated refrain from the Psalmists, “How long, O Lord?” We long for God’s rescue. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” He helps us amid life’s trials, not always eliminating them.
It is not the absence of troubles in our life that is our comfort; it is God’s presence. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him” (Lam 3:24). To have the habit of always praying enables you to sing: ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take him at his Word. Just to rest upon his promise, Just to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord!’
It is his transforming power that enables us to rest and be at peace in the storm. Why pray for the absence of hard things in our lives when it does not guarantee the presence of peace? Only a deep foundational trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty will create that.
Therefore, we need to pray. For us, prayer should be like breathing, it is our lifeline. Prayer is not merely a task, a duty, or a meeting. “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1) “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Do his will this week, and the worries of this life, “will grow strangely dim in light of his glory and grace.”
