Why I am still praying…

Just in case you wonder why I keep praying and asking people to pray… read on!

This is a truly difficult time for our country and the world at large. The uncertainty, anxiety, fear and blame game are making even the staunchest believer begin to doubt their faith.

For a few moments there, I doubted mine too!

But at the back of my mind, and deep inside my heart, I keep hearing the word ‘pray’.

Lord, we have prayed and prayed, but for some reason, the answers we desire are not forthcoming. We rejoiced a few days ago when one person was declared completely free of the virus, and then our hopes were dashed the next day when someone else passed on.

Why are we praying? Do you even hear us when we pray?

I could ramble on and on… but the truth is, I have still been praying. Many people wonder why. Here is why I am still praying.

He is listening

Isaiah 65:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (NIV)

According to this verse, God knows what I want to ask for even before I ask for it! How is that possible? Simple – there is nothing that goes on in this world that He does not know about. God does not take an occasional day or weekend off to relax while the world runs itself – He knows what is happening at the North Pole, in the Namib Desert, on the high seas, and in the vast savannah. There is nothing hidden from His watchful eyes.

If He knows everything, therefore, it should follow that when I ask for something, He will already know that answer!

A couple of months ago we lost some important documents in the house. We turned the whole place upside down looking for them for two or three days before we finally sat down to figure out where else they could be. That evening as I prayed, I asked God to show us where those documents were and to return them to us.

This was not a life-changing prayer, it was a prayer asking God to help with a matter that was not as important as the economy, the locust invasion, etc. But guess what – He heard it, and He answered it. We got the documents the very next day, intact.

Did God hear my prayer? Did He listen keenly to what I asked for? Yes, He did! All for His glory.

Don’t be afraid to pray. He is always listening, even if the answer does not come immediately.

Psalm 69:13 “But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.” (NIV)

He wants us to depend totally on Him

Kenyans are an interesting lot, I must say. It is only in Kenya where you apply for a job and then look for an ‘insider’ to push your papers. It is only in Kenya where, rather than go and queue to get your ID or passport, you look for a friend to hasten the process. Those who pray, act in faith and leave things to God are few and far between.

God, on the other hand, expects us to do just that – pray and leave it all to Him.

Why is this so hard? Are we unsure of who God is? Or maybe He has disappointed us in the past?

In 1 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat and his people in danger. A vast army was advancing against them, and the King knew that his forces were no match for them. He quickly proclaimed a fast, and as he and the people cried out to God, he uttered these words.

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12b)

The King had allies. He could have called on any one of them. But He didn’t, instead choosing to depend on the Lord. What a risk!

Here was the Lord’s reply…

2 Chronicles 20:17 “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” (NIV)

The next morning King Jehoshaphat and his people witnessed something that they had never seen before. As the singers walked out ahead of them, they suddenly saw the opposing army first rise up against those who had come to help them out and then against each other.

Total dependence on God. That’s all it took.

Total dependence on God is a sign that you recognize His power and sovereignty. You recognize that you are not your own, but His. You recognize that He is the one who chooses what happens, where it happens and how.

How are you going to pray this week? Are you going to pray and then let God take control of everything around you? Are you going to trust that His wisdom is best?  Surrender everything to Him and let Him take charge, He will gladly take your burdens and leave you at peace.

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (NIV)

He is in control

The hardest thing to accept when you are praying so hard for something is that God is sovereign. He does things when He wants to, at His own time, and in His own way.

I learnt this the hard way a few years ago when I was unwell. I cried out to the Lord for healing, and yes, He did heal me. The only challenge was that the healing took six months. Yes, it took six whole months for me to feel like my old self. That was the most trying season of my life – praying so hard and waiting for God to fulfill His promise without losing hope. Friends, it was hard!

But I pulled through, by God’s grace, and now when I look back, I see why I had to go through that season. There were things in my life that the Lord needed to weed out, and though it was a long, painful process, it was fruitful in the end.

Back to the topic at hand – is God in control of the current situation that is gripping the world today?

Yes.

Why isn’t He doing anything about it? Is He not hearing our prayers?

I believe God has heard every single prayer, and He would love it if we continued to pray. On the other hand, we cannot arm-twist Him into doing something that He is not ready to do because there are things about the situation that He knows better than we do.

In other words, God made the world and everything in it. Let Him do His job. Our job is to pray and seek our comfort, strength, and refuge in Him.

Psalm 73:28 “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” (NIV)

Remember King David? Before he became king, he went through so much. David knew he was one day going to be king, but he did not know the journey there would be so hard. David never lost hope in the Lord, though, because he knew what God had done in the past, and what God could do in the future. He kept on praying and communing with God all through his tough experiences.

Friends, when God doesn’t answer your prayers in the way you expect, or when you need the answer the most, do you give up, or do you surrender yourself to His will? Are you ready to accept His sovereignty over your life and all that concerns you? That is a huge challenge for you and me today as we seek the Lord’s healing and deliverance for our lives and our nation.

Psalm 62:2 “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.” (NLT)

 

 

 

Dear friends, I hope that you have been encouraged by this article to keep praying and seeking the Lord about everything that concerns you, your family, and your homeland. He is faithful, and will always answer us according to His will. Please share this article with someone who needs some encouragement. Have a blessed week ahead!