Praying shows dependence - dependence on God.
We Western Christians find it hard to pray because we are used to running our lives efficiently on our own. We have the answers to life's problems - we don't need God.
And yet, when we look back at how we manage our lives, we realize our problem-solving skills aren't that good. Our relationships with others are sometimes broken or strained, despite what we think was the wise way to deal with issues.
Paul Miller, author of A Praying Life, says helplessness fuels prayer. Sometimes we don't realize we are ignoring God and the counsel and supernatural direction he offers - until things break down.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 that we should not worry about anything but pray about everything.
"Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done," Paul says.
Notice that Paul says to pray about everything - not some things. That includes the areas you and I are quite capable of managing ourselves. We may think we are capable, but God is more capable.
In effect, Paul is saying we must give everything into God's hands and stop tossing and turning at night over real or imaginary problems. Thanking God for what he is doing in our circumstances helps build our trust in him - and our peace of mind.
"The very thing we are allergic to - our helplessness - is what makes prayer work," says Miller. "It works because we are helpless. We can't do life on our own."
He goes on to say that mature Christians pray a lot because they are aware of their weakness. They need God.
Miller recalls feeling desperate about parenting six children between the ages of two and 16. Things were not going well. He asked God for the grace to pray for them, knowing his instinctive "can-do" approach wasn't working.
The atmosphere in the home began to change. In one case, he had been praying for his son to recognize he had a problem with humility. Some months later, his son came to him and told him: "Dad, I have been thinking a lot about humility lately and my lack of it."
"It didn't take me long to recognize that I did my best parenting by prayer. I began to speak less to the kids and more to God. It was actually quite relaxing."
May the Lord give me the grace to see my need of him.
We Western Christians find it hard to pray because we are used to running our lives efficiently on our own. We have the answers to life's problems - we don't need God.
And yet, when we look back at how we manage our lives, we realize our problem-solving skills aren't that good. Our relationships with others are sometimes broken or strained, despite what we think was the wise way to deal with issues.
Paul Miller, author of A Praying Life, says helplessness fuels prayer. Sometimes we don't realize we are ignoring God and the counsel and supernatural direction he offers - until things break down.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 that we should not worry about anything but pray about everything.
"Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done," Paul says.
Notice that Paul says to pray about everything - not some things. That includes the areas you and I are quite capable of managing ourselves. We may think we are capable, but God is more capable.
In effect, Paul is saying we must give everything into God's hands and stop tossing and turning at night over real or imaginary problems. Thanking God for what he is doing in our circumstances helps build our trust in him - and our peace of mind.
"The very thing we are allergic to - our helplessness - is what makes prayer work," says Miller. "It works because we are helpless. We can't do life on our own."
He goes on to say that mature Christians pray a lot because they are aware of their weakness. They need God.
Miller recalls feeling desperate about parenting six children between the ages of two and 16. Things were not going well. He asked God for the grace to pray for them, knowing his instinctive "can-do" approach wasn't working.
The atmosphere in the home began to change. In one case, he had been praying for his son to recognize he had a problem with humility. Some months later, his son came to him and told him: "Dad, I have been thinking a lot about humility lately and my lack of it."
"It didn't take me long to recognize that I did my best parenting by prayer. I began to speak less to the kids and more to God. It was actually quite relaxing."
May the Lord give me the grace to see my need of him.
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