Sovereign Prayer

If God is sovereign, why should I pray? It doesn't seem like God is ever going to answer my prayers; I feel like giving up. If God knows what is best for me, why not just pray let your will be done and let it at that?" My spiritual life in 2007 was marked by a mental battle of trying to mesh God's sovereignty with my responsibility to pray. By the grace of God, however, and through the Word the Lord is increasing my faith in Him and is teaching me how to bring these two truths together.

When my mind tries to tell me that there is no use praying, that God won't answer that prayer, or that I've prayed for that person or situation forever and don't see any change at all… I have to make a conscious choice not to let my mind dwell there. With faith, I need to speak truth to myself using the Word of God. For example when I say to myself, why bother to pray for this person – he's not changing - it should be replaced by truth: God hears every prayer (Prov. 15:29) and His timing is perfect (2 Sam. 22:31). Along with numerous promises, the Bible is filled with examples such as Daniel, Hezekiah, Paul, and Jesus who prayed specifically, dependently, and frequently. Like them, we are called to pray confidently and boldly, yet all the while resting in the sovereignty of God. I'm encouraged by God's words to Daniel, "Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." (Dan. 10:12)

In the past year, I've gone from wondering if God hears my prayers to believing that God hears my every prayer. In some way it's similar to future rewards in heaven. I used to wonder, will it really matter if I don't get this one reward? Now, I have a sense that every reward will matter… that there will be regret for not striving for rewards – even if it were just one. Each reward will be significant. I think prayer will be the same way. Every single prayer has significance. I have to choose to believe this by faith. I can't analyze every prayer and wonder if or how God's going to answer it. I just need to obey, pray continually, and trust in the promises and examples in God's Word.



If you’re not convinced to pray by my appeal, let Charles Spurgeon’s words from his sermon, Pray Without Ceasing, take hold of your heart.



"Never give up praying, even when Satan suggests that prayer is in vain. Pray in his teeth. 'Pray without ceasing' (1 Thess. 5:17). If the heavens are brass and your prayer only echoes above your head, pray on! If month after month your prayer appears to have miscarried, if you have had no answer, continue to draw close to the Lord. Do not abandon the mercy seat for any reason. If it is a good thing that you have been asking for, and if you are sure that it is according to the divine will, wait, tarry, pray, weep, plead, wrestle, and agonize until you get what you are praying for."