It is a statement I have heard said on many occasions…and if I’m honest…I’ve been known to say it more than once. I think we often say it without really “hearing” what we are saying, and I can’t help but think if we really listened to the words…we wouldn’t say them again.
When circumstances don’t make sense…when a diagnosis knocks us off our feet…when the world seems to be unhinged and out of our control…we often hear/say these words, “Well, I guess all we can do is pray”. Hmmmm…sounds kind of hopeless, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, I think prayer is often our last resort…our last-ditch effort to make things right after we have tried everything else. When all else has failed…I guess all we can do is pray. When things don’t go the way we think they should go…I guess all we can do is pray. When there are more questions than answers…I guess all we can do is pray.
Sadly, I think we sometimes use this statement as a cop out. When we don’t want to have to take action, but still want to sound spiritual, we quip, “Well, I guess all we can do is pray”. Then we either don’t pray about the situation…or we do pray but never listen for an answer…because that might mean we have to do something we don’t want to do.
If we would really grasp to Whom we are praying…it would become our first choice instead of our last resort. We can have a conversation with the One who created everything. The One who is all-powerful. The One who knows absolutely everything about us. The One who knows our yesterday, today and our tomorrow. The One who loves us more than we can imagine. The One who will never leave us or give up on us. The One whose plan for us is perfect, so we should desire to do whatever He asks…so that this plan will be fulfilled. The One who is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day and we never get a busy signal or a lost connection. What a great opportunity to take everything we have to this One who has given His all…so that we can have a personal and vibrant relationship with Him.
We are all living in a world that seems unhinged, and I’m guessing that many of you may have additional stresses in your life which no one else even knows about. Whatever you are facing today, know that this One…this One who even knows the number of hairs on your head…is waiting for you to pour out your heart to Him. Don’t wait until He is your last resort…turn to your Jesus first and allow Him to speak into your soul.
Oh, if the world could see us turning to Him first, maybe, just maybe, they might want to turn to Him also. Our chaotic world needs to see the hope we have in Him; they need to see the power we have available to us which keeps us from yelling that the sky is falling. They need to see that when things don’t go our way, we don’t fall apart, wringing our hands in despair…because our hope and faith are in this One of whom we can immediately turn to in prayer.
I’ve been thinking…if we can make going to Him in prayer our immediate reaction, maybe our new response to our next life detour will be, “Oh what a great opportunity to go to my Jesus in prayer!” That my friend…doesn’t sound hopeless at all!
“God's there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.”
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