lkwunhyo blog

TL;DR: We must live a prayer-filled life, confessing our needs to God and to the people we trust. That’s because God works His miracles through His people. Jesus is all we need.

“I have never met an old saint who regretted having spent too much time in prayer, but I have met many who regretted having spent too little!”
— Paul Washer

It’s hard to pray. In fact, western culture is probably the hardest place in the world to pray. We are so busy that when we slow down to pray, we find it uncomfortable. Living spiritually as a follower of Jesus in a technological, calendar-driven culture, it turns out, is quite difficult.

But even then, Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing.” Because prayer isn’t a matter of preparing for a greater work; prayer is the greater work. And it’s the vehicle for miracles. Lead a prayer-filled life. Don’t neglect your faith — your Sunday worship, habitual prayers, and Bible studies. These are your ropes that pull at the bells in the ear of God. Sure, the occasional pluck at the rope is one thing. But the one who really sees miracles is the one who grasps the rope and pulls continously, with all his might.

Now, prayer might be a confronting thing and maybe even confusing. How do we pull at the ropes if we don’t even know how to grip them in the first place? I’m not sure if I can put it better than Lucado did:

“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”
— Max Lucado

Be bold in your prayers. “People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)

Confess Your Needs

To begin any season of prayer, the best beginning is confession. Confess to God, but confess also to the people you can trust — your family, friends, or house church. It’s important to confess because God is faithful, and He works miracles through His people. Confession invites our most genuine sharing of prayer requests, the most beautiful healing, and an opportunity to love as Jesus did.

It’s why we and so many others believe in the house church. People don’t need silver nor gold. Rather, they need Jesus. Jesus is the balm for every wound and the comfort for all sorrow. So when you are in your afflictions, always remember,

God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart. When you are so weak that you cannot do much more than cry, you coin diamonds with both your eyes. The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but his love.
— Charles Spurgeon