Have you ever been in a one sided conversation, where the other person does all the talking? And when you think it’s finally going to be your turn, they end the conversation?
Frequently we do this to God. We often pray by doing all the talking, saying “Amen” and walking away.
Many of us never consider that God would speak directly to us. We expect God’s Answers to come through our circumstances. If things line up, as we wished, we say God answered our prayers.
If things don’t go our way, we may wonder why God didn’t answer us. We may go from simple praying to “praying hard.”
If that doesn’t do it, we may take it up a notch by getting as many people as possible to agree with us in prayer. Unfortunately, many times, for some, it is like gathering signatures on a petition to present to God. If we get more people to agree with us, we think it may get God to move favorably on our behalf.
Is it ok to pray fervently? Yes! God loves it when we reach out to Him.
Is it ok to get as many prayer partners as we can? Yes! Calling others to pray is an invitation to them to communicate with The Lord.
But prayer is not for one way communication. And the results are not dependent on a popular vote.
Prayer is an interactive dialogue between God and us. It begins, not with our presenting our list of requests, but by our being still.
David the Psalmist was still. In the stillness, he heard God.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10
Many times we attempt to begin the conversation with God from the vantage point of what we believe we know.
In Truth, there is only one thing we need to know. He is God. We are not.
We can leave any preconceived notions about any situation at the door. Any knowledge we believe we have cannot come up to The Knowledge of God.
Be still.
Know that He is God.
Know He already knows every detail of your situation.
Know He already has The Plan for your life and He is willing to reveal it to you.
Let Him speak first.
Begin by listening.
Enter His Throne Room with thanksgiving and praise.
God will gladly hear your petitions. But after a time of being still, knowing He is God, knowing He knows you intimately and already has a Plan, thanking Him and praising Him, you may find your list of requests have disappeared.
He already knows what you want. But even more importantly, He knows what you need.
“Because The Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need.”
Psalm 23:1
“For I know The Plans I have for you,” says The Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, Plans to give you Hope and A Future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“Thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
1 Corinthians 25:57
