I wish I would’ve understood prayer earlier in my life. I mean, really understood it. Understood that the prayer life God desires us to have is one of obedience, confidence, and one that attracts others to be around and part of. Not one that shouts loudly and bribes. I guess to sum it up; God wants us to have a prayer life like that of Jesus. Easier said than done, right?
There’s absolutely no telling how many times God looked down and just shook his head and laughed at all the selfish whims I used to offer up on a daily basis. I look back from time to time and just wonder what I was thinking. Shortly after, I’m faced with the reality that I wasn’t really thinking at all. At least, not about what would be best in God’s eyes, just my own.
All the ideas I had laid out in my head that I justified as being “God’s will” were anything but that. God was never going to allow the miracles or dreams I asked for to happen. Why? They were missing the key ingredient needed. None of them were going to spell His glory. You see, that’s how God works. He lets miracles and dreams take place when He can be glorified through it. Not the other way around. Sometimes though, we get lucky enough to be the beneficiary of a miracle or dream. Sort of like what happened for me to be in the position to write this for the World Race.
The relationship I really wanted to work out? God said nope. The job promotion I thought I definitely deserved over the person who got it? Try again he whispered. The acceptance letter I wanted to open to read I got into the grad school of my dreams? I opened a letter from God that more or less said, “Brah, don’t tell me what to do…”
I think it’s during those moments of disappointment, that with help from others and being knee deep in the Word (Thanks Job), I learned the obedience needed to still praise Him. It was in those moments that I believe God has never been more proud. You know, it’s when it’s most difficult to praise God, but we somehow follow through, that our praise becomes most pure. I just wish I had got that through my head a lot sooner.
The thing I love the most when it comes to Jesus and his life was his confidence in his prayers. Every word Jesus lifted up to God, he knew it was heard. No doubts about it. In John 11 when Jesus was in the middle of raising Lazarus, he said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you ALWAYS hear me….”
How awesome would it be if we were that confident? In fact, why aren’t we that confident? I think it’s because deep down we’re all a little afraid that God is hearing every word and He’s looking to make His will and what will make Him most glorified happen. I was afraid of it. Heck, I still am at times. Eventually though, the whisper you hear when you pray tells you that it’s okay to risk your own reputation to make His reputation greater. After all, like my grandma once told me – “if you don’t take the risk; you end up forfeiting the chance that the miracle may actually happen.”
God wants to surprise us. We just have to be willing to give up the control and predictability we love so much and get on our knees confidently to allow the surprise to come to fruition. And trust me; it’s pretty sweet when you see the unpredictable ways in which God will inevitably surprise you…
