Meandering - The Sincerity of Your Prayers

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:5

I wonder if part of the winter blahs is the discouragement that comes with not consistently following through on New Year’s resolutions? As a Christian, you may feel low because you’re falling further and further behind in your Bible reading, or in your commitment to daily prayer. Don’t give up. None of us are perfect in the daily disciplines. Be patient with yourself. Do what you can. Determine that, no matter how small the increments of growth, you will keep moving forward in your pursuit of knowing and delighting in God more and more.  

The primary goal in not that you get through the Bible (in a certain amount of time), as much as you need the God of the Bible to get through you. Jesus’ instructions on prayer were not intended to make us prayer professionals, but people who delight in their Papa’s love. Being disciplined and having a plan is good, it truly is. Yet it’s not really about the amount of boxes ticked off, or how many pages are filled in your journal. The real question is, are you growing relationally in love, honour, trust, and joy, with God, your Father, Jesus Christ, the Lord, and the blessed Holy Spirit?

In our spiritual disciplines we need both the head and the heart working together. True worshippers of God are those who “worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). However, again, the goal is not a growing, inflated head, but rather a growing, more affectionate heart toward God and others.

Thomas Brooks said, “God looks not on the elegancy of your prayers, to see how neat they are; nor yet at the geometry of your prayers, to see how long they are; nor yet at the arithmetic of your prayer, to see how many they are; nor at the music of your prayers; nor yet at the sweetness of your prayer; nor at the logic of your prayer but at the sincerity of your prayers, how heartfelt they are. There is no prayer acknowledged, approved, accepted, recorded, or rewarded by God, but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly engaged.”  

Thanks for meandering along with me,
Pastor Daniel