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Prayers are not a bother
pastor corner

Here’s a story I recently shared with my church family.

The pastor went to the deacons, rather discouraged by things that were happening in the church. He said to them, “We really need to pray about this.” One deacon spoke up and replied, “Pastor, has it really gotten that bad?”

Perhaps you smiled, or even laughed out loud. And then you thought about it a bit more carefully.

Is that the only time we pray? Does it really have to get “that bad” before we pray? Shouldn’t prayer be a first resort?

Jesus said, “Men ought always to pray.” Paul wrote, “Pray without ceasing.”

But for some reason, we often wait to pray until things are so bad that we have no other option. And I think I know the reason.

We really think we can handle life. Pride is the problem. We don’t want to bother God with our minor problems. After all, he is quite busy.

We will call on him when it really gets to the point that we have no place else to turn. But in the meantime, we can handle the small stuff.

But the Bible would tell us, and I think our experiences will confirm, that we need the Lord at every turn of life.

Prayer should never be a last resort. It should be the first thing we do every day. It should be our “default mode.” It should come far more natural to us.

I pray that you and I will be more faithful in prayer. I pray that we will storm the gates of heaven with our praises and our petitions. God is listening. And He is speaking.

Let us call on him, and then let us listen for him. Let us be known as people of prayer.

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