prayers

I'm coming to see that any prayers in Jesus have value. We're to pray in the Spirit, but even when we don't sense the Spirit helping us in our praying, we're to pray.

Of course the best praying is in the context of seeking to hear God. We do that by reading the word, and seeking to listen with the goal of hearing God. Sensing what God may be saying to us. Or just wanting to be open to whatever God is doing, even if we don't understand it.

We're to pray as in pouring out our hearts to God, but we're to pray according to God's heart, whether or not our heart is in that or not. And part of that prayer is that God's will would be done, even if it means our will is not. And that God would give us a heart that wants to do his will. In Jesus and as members of God's family, we have that already, though we can drift away from that, as well.

For all kinds of reasons we need to keep right on praying. Don't wait until you feel like it. Don't wait for the Spirit to move you to pray. Let's pray. In the Spirit, yes. But in whatever state we're in. As we go on in this world, we know we need it. And if we know we need prayers, we know others we love need them as well. And we need prayer simply as a part of our communion with God. And for the world of people and God's will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Prayers are natural for us as God's children. But they're also a part of the phenomenon of walking by faith, not by sight. So in that darkness, our prayer may not be pretty. Matters not at all! In fact those kind of stumbling, halting prayers may be the most beautiful in God's eyes, as God sees us continuing in faith when it's hardest for us to do.

What thoughts would you like to share with us on prayers and praying?