What difference does prayer make?
Why pray if God knows everything?
Last week’s sermon by Pastor Scotty Smith at Christ Community Church, Franklin, TN, addressed some of our deepest questions on prayer. Today I’ll just address one.
Pastor Scotty was pretty passionate about the subject, and as I began giving attention and intention to every little prayer, I saw why.
He said, and I quote, “If I see one more book on Amazon on ‘how to get God to answer your prayers, I think I will vomit.” I should mention the context. He was expressing his frustration at this idea that we somehow manipulate God through our prayers and get God to do what we want. Prayer is NOT about manipulation; it is about knowing the heart of God!
Here’s the good news/bad news Pastor Scotty preached:
GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS.
HE DOESN’T ALWAYS ANSWER THEM THE WAY WE WANT.
Thinking about this one concept changed the way I prayed. A silly example will illustrate how constant communication with God affects our understanding of who He is. Last week, when my dogs got out of the house and bolted toward Scenic Highway at 5 in the afternoon, I asked God to bring them back. When they didn’t return immediately, I went out in the car to look for them. I didn’t find them. I suddenly realized I had left the charcoal starter for the grill lit, and my house might burn down. I needed to go home. I prayed with conviction, “God, please bring my dogs home, NOW please.”
I could pray with conviction NOT because I knew He would do what I wanted, but because I knew He would, will, does answer prayers. He might say ‘no’ and then I would pray for more patience and less fear. But I was a desperate woman, home alone, with a fire that needed tending and dogs that needed hunting.
I know you’re not going to believe this, but when I came back in from tending the fire, my dogs were at my back door.
Here’s another thing about prayer for another day:
When we pray intentionally, we learn something about the heart of the LORD who answers prayers.
What do you think? How have you seen God answer prayers – yes, no, maybe, yes, but not the way you thought, no but better than you dreamed…wait – a really long, hard, painful wait…
Share your stories!
Thanks for this post Elizabeth! I have just started reading Paul Miller’s book, A Praying Life. It’s been spurring me on to do some soul searching on how I approach God in prayer.
I’m in a season where I don’t like what God has handed me and am having a hard time wrapping my head around how to deal with that in the right way. Since I love theology, I like to think I handle things in a theologically correct manner (you can stop laughing). Miller’s encouragement to pray like a child – stop worrying about “getting it right” has made me realize in my effort to “get it right” in prayer I have it all wrong. I’m still wrestling with God in prayer – so I’ll let you know how that turns out- but I have found this book to be a good one – I don’t think it would make Scotty Smith vomit, anyway! 🙂
ME TOO!! Loved Miller’s book — helped me so much in relaxing about prayer and seeing all sorts of new things about it. And definitely Scotty would love it, in fact, mentions it, uses it as a resource, says “it is the best book on prayer he has…” His “vomit” remark was in response to the books that try to teach people to manipulate God. BTW, Paul Miller is going to be doing his prayer conference in Nashville in October. That’s still a long way from South Florida, but maybe he’ll make his way down soon, and I’ll be the first to sign up! Thanks, Heather!
time to get those precious puppies of yours a shock collar. 🙂 didn’t they take off during story feast as well? makes a dog lover’s heart just skip a beat!!
have been reading ortberg’s Life you’ve always wanted. awesome insight into prayer as well…i need to read paul miller’s book.
oh my, yes, Cheryl. This is unfortunately not a new thing. What is new is they get out much more rarely. This time it was because I had them in the backyard w/ me while lighting the grill and I left the door to the garage open while getting charcoal. All it takes is one little slip! Like us humans, they love their freedom but don’t always know what’s good for them!
I’ll look at Ortberg’s book. You should definitely read Miller.