We Are Verbs

Hanging above a door in our home is a plaque that reads, “When life gets to hard to stand…kneel.” Every time I pass through that door I am reminded that prayer changes things. Its funny how often I have seen similar words on comparable plaques over the years in other homes. God made men for action. We are verbs…we are always doing; which actually makes perfect sense because our God is a God of action and we are made in His image. Prayer is action; it is a natural tool for men to use. We are reminded by the brother of Christ in James 5:16 that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful. It changes things.

Indeed, this is our confidence: Anything we pray for that aligns with the Father’s plan will be granted. And the more time we spend with Him, the more we’ll come to understand His will and how to pray for it. We must be INTENTIONAL about the time we spend with Him.

Of course prayer doesn’t change God’s mind, but it does transform the believer’s heart. Some requests are granted immediately, simply because we asked with the realization that our Father loves to give us good gifts. Other requests may require time or certain divine preparations before they can be given. We, meanwhile, must simply be diligent to persevere in prayer.

Whatever the Lord’s response or timing, we trust that He has only the very best in store for His children. That means we might not receive exactly what we’re asking for, but something even better. Such is God’s great pleasure, for He alone perfectly knows each heart’s desire and wishes to fulfill it.

Our most powerful tool (and men do love tools) for shaping the world and lives around us is always available. Prayer lets us witness God’s hand in any situation. And as we give attention, time, and perseverance to conversation with Him, we find no limit to what He can achieve in people’s hearts and circumstance.