Prayer Requires Action
Recently, I heard someone saying ‘Christians are stupid when they think prayer changes things’. He thought Christians only pray and do nothing. But that’s not the way prayer works. Praying does not mean we sit on our hands the rest of the time. It’s not an excuse to do nothing. We are to go forward in faith. First, we pray as it all depended on God, then we work as everything depended on us. Because prayer requires action.
Prayer is a welcome mat for God to be involved in our affairs. It’s an invitation for God to create something beautiful out of the ashes of our lives. We pray hard and then we do everything in our power to be part of the answer. God has not called us to be passive. He’s called us to be his partners.
Only when we are active participants in God’s work, we are truly living out our faith. So no matter what do not despair. Instead, pray. And then start doing the next thing that is worth doing. God’s Spirit will guide your steps while he is working behind the scenes. So prayer changes things, for sure. Sometimes miracles occur, yes. But most often we are called to be the change we are praying for.
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. (Romans 12:11-12, NLT,*)
Prayer requires action
The beautiful thing about prayer is the fact it invites God’s power to change things within us and around us. And when we look at our lives with the eyes of faith, we start to see the little ways how prayer changes things. People start to get along, we get empowered to love our enemies or things just happen to happen at the right time.
So do not forget to pray, otherwise, you’re on your own. When we pray, God is involved in our affairs and anything can happen. But be also prepared to become a doer of God’s word. Prayer requires action also from us, not just from God. Sometimes God calls us to be Christ to our neighbor, for example, or write a job application or make a doctor’s appointment.
When we pray, we pray like it is all God. And then we do everything we can to make those prayers come true. Not by our own might but by God’s grace. We do so joyfully because we know it is all in God’s hands. That gives us freedom and peace. And that, my friends, is the blessed existence of God’s children.
Dear God,
Thank you for the gift of prayer.
It gives us a way to directly communicate with you.
We welcome you into our lives, we need you.
And we don’t even want to live on our own
knowing your ways are better than ours.
We surrender everything to you and pray that you will guide us to live and work as directed by you.
Change everything according to your plan for us,
help us to see what’s our part in that and then empower us to do so.
In Jesus’ precious name,
Amen
Q4U: Prayer requires action – how do you feel about that? Are you an active prayer partner of God?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you seek God with everything you’ve got! Let God show you how to work as his partner!
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash
One thought on “Prayer Requires Action”
Peace be upon you, dear brothers and sisters.
I am compelled to send a message to Christian loved ones to help me according to the word of God for the salvation of my soul.
I posed a question and sent it to many Christian brothers and sisters around the world.
It is interesting that the majority of these loved ones gave a similar answer, but what is my question? And what have been the answers of Christian loved ones?
My question is that if someone asks you for help or guidance, if you can help him, do you respond to his needs? Or do you pray for him instead of helping him?
The answer of the majority of Christian loved ones is that we pray for that person in need.
I ask you, dear Christians, who say we pray, when God has given you strength, power, and wealth, is it without reason?
Why has God not given this strength, power, and wealth to all people?
If God has loved you, dear Christian, and given you wealth, strength, and power, it is to test you.
If you can meet human needs, why should you pray for that person? When God has answered many of our prayers, why should we entrust each other to God? When God has given you, dear Christian, the power and strength to meet someone’s needs, why do you entrust them to God instead of helping them immediately? If you think a little, we will understand that God did not give you wealth, strength, and power without reason, so you should use these blessings that God has given you in the way of God and for the glory of God, not just for yourself.
There are many verses in the Bible that say you should help the needy, but why do most Christians entrust them to God instead of helping others?
This is a very important question?
I ask you again, if you can help and God has given you the power and strength, would you help? Or do you pray? And do you leave the needy who reach out to you to God?
God is watching over all of us humans in heaven and knows all our deeds.
The important thing is that praying requires action first, and that is acting on the word of God.
God has asked us to be his partners.
Only when we actively participate in God’s work will we live according to our faith.
So let’s help each other and everyone does their part and the human duty and faith that God has given them. Amen, that we may be good partners for God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.