All around the world, in every nation, culture and religion, people pray- from the young to the old.
Even those who don't have a spiritual need...pray. They seek Gods help when they face adversities, or at times of distress.
Prayers set humans apart from other life on earth. Compared to the vast universe, the earth is small. Yet, God Almighty is humble, and does not just view us from a distance. He is eager and willing to listen to us. In fact, he even pleads for us to 'draw close to him in prayer'.
Why Pray
Firstly, God has provided us with the privilege of prayer. He tells us to 'throw our burdens upon him, because he cares'.
Sometimes, we feel so crushed and broken hearted with all that life throws at us that we keep how we are really feeling to ourselves. We tend to hold back from telling anyone, because we know they can hear us...but they don't understand. Only God knows the depths of our pain.
Tears are prayers too; they travel to God when we can't speak. God assures us that he is not indifferent towards our suffering. He feels hurt when he sees our pain. So much so, that he likens seeing our pain to...'touching his figurative eyeball' - it pains him to see us feeling so discouraged.
God 'is not blind to human suffering', his 'ears are not deaf to our crys for help' and his 'arm is not too short that it cannot save us'.
At times, life can knock us to our knees. We feel that we don't have the strength to get back up, and we just can't continue any longer. "Being on our knees" is the perfect position to pray. God is never too busy to listen. He can actually do more for us in a second what we could only do for ourselves in a lifetime.
God sees the first tear, catches the second and stops the third.
How To Pray
God is not partial, so regardless of race, nationality, culture or social standing...He hears the prayers of those with a sincere heart.
He doesn't expect us to assume a special position, or posture. He doesn't set a time limit on how long our prayers should be. Be it short or long...He is patient and will listen for as long as we want to talk to him. No matter where we are or what we are doing,we can talk to God. 'He is not far from each one of us'.
All God asks...is for us to approach him with humility, faith, respect and sincerity.
When life pushes you over the edge...trust in Gods saving power. He won't allow you to fall. He'll either catch you ,or teach you how to fly.
Reasons To Pray
There's many valid reasons to pray. God wants us to openly express ourselves. To talk to him like we would a trusted friend. He hears more than we say,because he knows us more than we even know ourselves.He knows our "life story" and how the human mind works more than anyone. So even when we can't express ourselves as we would like to..he knows our most intimate thoughts and feelings.
1. Strength
2. Comfort
3. Wisdom
4. Guidance
4. Faith or more faith
5. Forgiveness
6. We should not just pray when we need something,we should also pray to thank him too.
7. Anything you say to him,is important in Gods eyes. Nothing is trivial. Even if you don't want to ask him for anything, and you feel you want to just offload to a friend and need someone to listen....God is only a prayer away.
Does God answer prayers
God is the most powerful being in the universe, and he is the source of all wisdom. His Holy spirit - active force -is unlimited and unparelleled in power. He does not rely on any outside source for his strength and power. There is nothing he can't do or undo. He uses his Holy Spirit to guide us, and provides us with the strength to endure hardships...to make us stronger. Or he makes the way out for us.
He asks us to pray 'incessantly'...to 'persevere' in prayer. God is wiser than our hearts and knows what is best for us...in the long term. He gives us much more than we ask or can imagine, but he does this in his own time, in his own way, because he knows what outcome is the best for us. Everything he does is to benefit us...his human creation. We just need to be patient. Not only does it show we trust him, but that we have faith in him, and that we are sincere.
God promises to answer our prayers if we ask them according to his will, and if we act in harmony with our prayers.
Don't say God is silent...when your bible is closed. Open it and read it, God will speak.
Knowing the Bible is one thing...knowing the Author is another.
Whenever you can't sleep at night and you feel so alone, and your tears just won't stop flowing, just stop and think...maybe it's God saying, 'we need to talk and now you have the time'.
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