I’ve been going through a lot lately. My wife of 20 years died not that long ago. I remarried and promptly lost my job two months later. My new wife’s parents both died in the ensuing few years; we had moved to a new state, a new town, a new church, and then moved AGAIN to empty land, where we built a brand new house and shop. We have both retired now. And, just a few days ago, my own mother passed away. Needless to say, there has been a LOT of anxiety, depression, sleepless nights, exhaustion, and endless worry. Often I am so overwhelmed with what needs to be done that I just sit in my recliner, endlessly scrolling through Facebook …
Not to mention (but I’m going to) the constant political strife, ongoing wars threatening to escalate to WW3, economic turmoil, riots and violent protests, cries for death to our nation, and many people seemingly trying to do exactly that.
Does any of that sound familiar? I’m certain I am not alone in my state of anxiety. What do I do? How can I find peace? How can I continue? How to navigate the many decisions and plans that need to be made? Where is the truth in all this chaos?
One of the first things Jesus’ disciples directly asked Him, recorded in the gospel of Luke chapter 11, is this:
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 (ESV, emphasis mine)
In response, Jesus taught them the famous prayer which many of us call, “The Lord’s Prayer”, but which might better be called “The Disciples’ Prayer” (since Jesus instructed them: “When you pray, say …”)
At any rate, one facet of this prayer that I certainly had never really noticed before was this thought: the disciple’s request wasn’t “how” to pray, nor “what” to pray (though these things are often taught from this prayer, and we certainly need them), but the much simpler “teach us TO PRAY”. In other words, teach us, instead of just doing something, to pray instead. The disciples had just watched Jesus praying, when they were probably clueless as to what to do next, where to go, wondering “what is the plan”? Jesus’ answer, of course, was to pray, to seek His Father’s face, to implore wisdom, direction, and strength, to solidify His will to do the Father’s will, and most importantly to worship the God of the universe, his Father. All of that is exactly the opposite of my own tendencies to: worry, fret, think anxiously, seek my own resources and strength, try to make a plan… But God’s will for us is quite different:
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 (ESV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5 (ESV)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6 (ESV)
[B]ut they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
[D]o not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words. Romans 8:26 (ESV)
So, with just those promises before us (and there are MANY more) what can we expect when we simply pray?
- To be given what we ask for
- Have lost things found
- Have the closed doors opened
- Have the crooked paths made straight
- Be given wisdom abundantly
- Be given peace way beyond what we can imagine
- Be given strength to continue and overcome
- Will be rewarded by the God of the universe
- Will even be taught how to pray and what to pray
- God Himself (in the person of the Spirit) will pray for us
- God has also given us the longest book in the Bible (Psalms) of PRAYERS
What more could we ask? The riches of God are FAR, FAR more abundant than the totality of the world’s riches, wisdom, strength, or understanding. God is never surprised by sudden catastrophe, never overwhelmed by great oppression, never distressed by great sadness or tragedy, and never too late to make all the difference.
So, why DON’T we pray? Why do I (we) persist in our worries, fears, anxieties, and doubts? For one, we have usually spent our whole lives as everyone else does leaning on our own (feeble) minds, and (limited) resources. We see the world striving for mastery, for dominance, and control, and we want some of that. None of us comes by surrender, humility, or meekness naturally. Most of us rugged individualists want to do it ourselves. It is a process, sometimes a LONG process, toward constant surrender, dependence, trust, and asking. So, how can we overcome all this to become the praying people that God desires (John 4:23)?
The Good News, of course, is that God has come to save us. He came to us as a newborn baby; helpless, dependent, small, and weak, but who grew to become a man, sinless all the while, and then died an excruciating death in our place, to redeem us from sin and death. He gives His Holy Spirit to help all those of us who receive Him, to live in us, to manifest the presence of God in our lives, to bring all these promises to fulfillment!
Naturally, it has taken me decades of following Jesus even to come to this simple realization, so I am just barely starting on this journey learning TO PRAY. But maybe this study will help you on your journey to complete peace as you follow Him too.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 (ESV)