|
PERSEVERING IN PRAYER
“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget
not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,” (Psalm 103:2-3, NIV)
In the early days of my illness, I was constantly begging
God to heal me. Over and over, I would beg him constantly to take away this disease and make me well again. Did God answer
my fervent, persistent prayers? Not yet. So far, I am still not well, although I am much better than I was. Why hasn’t
God completely healed me? I believe one reason is that He has lots to teach me, and I have lots to learn. Through Chronic
Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome or “CFIDS”, He is teaching me more about humility, patience, perseverance,
and prayer, to name a few things. He has shown me my sins, and my grumbling and complaining heart. He also is conforming me
more into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29), and that takes lots of time!
I love the parable in Luke 11:5-8 about the persistent
neighbor. His friend had arrived at midnight from a long journey, and the man must have been embarrassed that he had nothing
to give him to eat. Bravely, he goes and bangs on his neighbor’s door at midnight (I’m not sure I would have been
that brave), to request three loaves of bread. At first, the friend ignores him, probably thinking he would go away. “Surely,
he won’t keep knocking and bothering me at this time of night,” the neighbor was probably thinking. Instead, because
of the man’s persistence, he continues to knock and eventually his friend gets up and gives him the desired bread.
In this same way, God wants us to be persistent in our
prayers to Him. He wants us to keep asking, keep knocking, even though it seems at times that God is never going to answer.
Friend, if you are praying about a need or concern today
that you have prayed about for a long, long time, don’t give up! Jesus Himself says in Luke 11:9-10, “So I say
to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who
asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Be persistent! Keep bringing your
request before the Lord, and He will answer in His time.
Dear Father – You are the Giver of every
good and perfect gift. Help us, Lord, not to give up when You don’t immediately answer our prayers. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.
|
