Prayer? Why Bother?

Prayer is a gift from God. It is how we talk to God, our Heavenly Father. Of all the things the disciples could have asked Jesus to show them how to do, how to talk to God is was what they wanted to know. They recognized that the miracles Jesus was performing and the wisdom in which he walked was a direct result of his constant connection to God the Father through prayer. (Luke 11:1; John 5:19-20).

You are invited to come to God just as Jesus did addressing Him as your Abba (daddy) Father (Romans 8:15-16) because you are God’s child. Through faith in Jesus Christ, you can boldly and with confidence enter into the presence of God (Ephesians 3:12). In Hebrews it says to approach the throne of God with confidence in your time of need so you can receive God’s mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16). Struggling through divorce recovery would certainly be a time of need.

In the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, man walked with God and talked with God. They had a relationship with Him. When sin entered the world, that relationship was lost. Jesus died in our place so we can be reconciled to God. God loves you and wants to be in a relationship with you. What kind of relationship is it if you never communicate with each other?

When you speak to God in faith, believing and trusting Him, you can move mountains (Matthew 21:22). Jesus said that if you believe when you ask, you will receive. Now that does not mean that God gives you every single thing you ask for.

If your child comes to you everyday just before supper and asks you for a bowl of ice cream, you would say no. Not because you don’t love him or because there is anything wrong with ice cream but because it is your will as his parent, that he eat his main course, the healthier food, first. As the child grows to know you better and understand your will, he will likely stop asking for ice cream before supper and instead ask if he can have it for dessert.

For requests to be fulfilled, they must be in line with God’s will. As you grow in your faith and deepen your relationship with God, the more in harmony your requests will be with His will. It is important to remember that God does work all things for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28).

God always hears your prayers and promises to answer (John 14:13-14; 16:23-24). Even though the answer may not always look like what you wanted, God, as your Father gives good gifts (Luke 11:5-13).

Paul advises to never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Surviving divorce is a worrisome and uncertain time. As you move through the stages of divorce, it may seem like your emotions are on a roller coaster and your life is falling apart. How can you possibly have any sense of peace in such turmoil? Bring your worries and fears to God. Peace comes from knowing God is in control. Release your problems to Him and trust Him so your heart and mind will be filled with God’s peace (Philippians 4:6-7). This is sometimes easier said than done. Even after you have given a problem over to God, you may find yourself taking it back from Him and worrying about it some more. If you find yourself doing that, give it back to Him. You cannot solve anything by worrying about it (Matthew 6:25-34).

This difficult time in your life is also one full of decisions that need to be made. Many of them will have lasting consequences. How do you navigate your way through them all confident you are doing the right thing? The Bible says that if anyone lacks wisdom, all they need to do is ask (James 1:5). God does not want any of his children to be ignorant. Ask God for wisdom as you work through the issues before you and trust the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide you in the way you should go (Proverbs 3:5-6).

What if you are so overwhelmed with emotions that you don’t know what to pray for or where to begin? God has made provision for that too. The Holy Spirit will help you by interceding for you in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27). It is not about what words you use or how eloquently you express yourself. It is about your heart crying out to God and surrendering yourself, your life, your marriage and your circumstances to His will and trusting Him.

The Bible gives us lots of examples of people praying for others. In addition to Jesus’ petitions for the disciples and for us in John 17, Paul’s requests for the Ephesians, Corinthians, Thessalonians, Colossians, Timothy and Philemon are recorded in the New Testament. James 5:16 instructs us to confess to one another and pray for each other.

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