"Just" Prayer?

Dear Reader,
As you may know I have many faults and shortcomings (please do not reply to this with your opinions and additions to the list!), one of my most troublesome is my inability to pray. More specifically, I often fail to pray effectively. My perception of effective prayer is not measured by outcome per se, but I do want to know that my prayers are aligned with God's word, are not half-hearted, and are received by God as pleasing because of my faith, faithfulness, and earnest seeking.
I've been reading a great book on the subject of recapturing the originally intended essence and nature of prayer by Eugene Peterson,

Where Your Treasure Is: Psalms That Summon You from Self to Community

In it, he quotes Richard Foster, "To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives. The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ. To pray is to change."

I assume most true Christians want to know and have the heart of God--in every part of our lives. We have little trouble perceiving our greatest needs and wants. So, what do we do about it? That's our first instinct isn't it? Just do something, anything !!!
So often as Christ followers we view prayer as the last ditch effort to bring in the cavalry. Whether we realize it or not, we usually try to do everything in our own power to help fix a situation, offer keen advice to a person in pain, or create a plan of action for whatever it is we are up against. When all else fails, "Let's pray about it." I've said that a million times to people for whom I've had no reasonable answer or advice to give. "I'll be praying for you." "I'll be praying about that." It may be Christendom's greatest cliché. Do we really pray, though? I know I don't. Not like I should. Not as often as I tell people that I will. I'm ashamed of that.
Maybe this time, in this instance, in these circumstances throughout our country and world (it's not really "ours" though; is it?), maybe we can ask, seek, and knock first. Maybe when a troubling subject arises, I'll be the first one to hit the floor and seek God with earnest. I hope I will. It's scary for me though because encounters with God leave a mark. Personal growth hurts. What will God bring to my attention that I don't want to look at or talk about? But, this isn't about me, is it? I'm not as important as God's will for hurting people or injustice. I need to be constantly summoned away from myself. I think we do that through, and in, prayer.
The right things to do and say are available and 'knowable.' When, or how, will we recognize them? I'm not sure.
But, I'll pray about it.




Ben Wilcox