Persistence in Prayer Pays Off
Do you ever feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling? In those moments, do you secretly wonder, Do my prayers make any difference? I’m guessing we’ve all had those thoughts at one time or another.
I wonder how often we quit praying too soon.
Recently, I was reading the story of blind Bartimaeus once again (Luke 18:35–43). Remember? The blind beggar is sitting by the side of the road. When we lived in Africa, I saw my fair share of beggars sitting in the dirt on the side of the road. Hopelessness surrounded them and left me feeling rather helpless. I mean, there’s only so much money you can give, right? Yet I also feared growing indifferent to the plight of those suffering. It was such a conundrum for me.
In the story in Luke, Jesus had just told a parable about a persistent widow who needed justice (Luke 18:1–8). She cried out incessantly for the judge to hear her case and bring justice. Was she annoying? Probably. Did it discourage or dissuade her from crying out? Nope. Because she kept bothering the judge, he gave in and answered her request. Jesus goes on to say, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” (Luke 18:7).
Soon after the disciples hear this story, they come across the beggar at the side of the road. When he keeps yelling out for Jesus, they tell him to be quiet. They likely missed the point of Jesus’s story! Yet Jesus hears the man and asks this profound question: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:40). Jesus answers his request, and the man who received his sight immediately began following Jesus and praising God.
As I’ve been thinking about this story, it has prompted some questions that I think we need to consider. I encourage you to sit with these three questions. I’m not going to answer them for you. You need to wrestle them out. But I believe they are worth grappling with in your life of prayer.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself When It Seems God Is Not Answering:
Am I praying in alignment with the Holy Spirit?
If you’re not sure, go to the Word of God. Are you praying in sync with Scripture? If you are, keep praying.
How long is long enough to pray and then stop?
Don’t stop until God clearly says, “No.” If God hasn’t clearly said no, keep on praying, because God honors persistence.
What is God teaching me in the silence?
At times, God is growing resilience and patience in us. If He answered every prayer immediately, we would be less likely to learn those lessons. God might also be teaching you that He is present even in the silence. He may want you to exercise your trust muscle.
Author Andrew Murray wrote in his profound book Waiting on God, “Wait on God until you know you have met Him; prayer will then become so different… Let there be intervals of silence, reverent stillness of the soul, in which you yield yourself to God, in case He may have aught He wishes to teach you or to work in you.”
What I love about that quote is that it reminds us that prayer is not just about getting an answer. It’s about connecting with God, who longs to hear our hearts. In your prayer time, ask God to help you connect deeply with Him and feel His heart for you. Then you won’t mind waiting for an answer.
I want to introduce you to a new friend, Mandy Horne. Mandy (Wellspring RN) created a handy 3-step guide to Confidently Step Into Your Next Season that will help you regain peace, clarity, and confidence when life shifts, leaving you asking, “What now?” One of the steps shows you how a simple 10-minute “Quiet Chair” practice can help you cut through the noise, hear God’s voice clearly, and rediscover who you are in this season.
I thought you might like it. Click the link below to grab her guide.
This week on the Connected Mom Podcast, we are talking with Janel Breitenstein about her new book, How to Stop Yelling Up the Stairs. You are not going to want to miss this delightful conversation!
Time is running out! You must put a deposit down ($500.00) by March 15 for the Greece trip if you are hoping to join us for the cruise extension! This is going to be spectacular, so don’t hesitate. Steve and I can’t wait!