Tortoise prayers

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2

Have you ever been inspired to pray for something and it didn't happen? It seemed that God didn't answer, and so you went through a time of frowns and then went on, maybe a little bitter, getting the idea that prayer doesn't work. You have experience with prayer not working.

Well, if that's you, you're the one I'm writing to. I'm in that boat too. Prayer is, more often than not, a marathon. Think tortoise, not hare. It's not that God isn't answering or not hearing or that your prayers don't matter. What it is oftentimes is that prayer is a process and much or most of it you do not see, so it seems like nothing is happening when it really is.

Don't forget the admonishment to be thankful. Let your thankfulness be added to whatever your requests are. You might be asking for things only God can do. The way is to throw in, speak in, the things you are thankful for with what you are asking for. Bill Yount gave a great word on this. Click HERE to read Bill's word on thanksgiving in prayers.

Prayer is also organic in nature. You have to tend to it. Water, weed, fertilize, shade issues, frost issues, wind issues, little fox issues... tending. You may have been big time inspired to pray for something to happen and it didn't or maybe partially. You can't get the attitude that it's totally out of your hands. God is a covenant God and needs us to partner with him on the earth to bring heaven to earth. We've got to keep up the prayers. Slow, steady, no short cuts, the long way leads home.

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