Do You Pray Like You Mean It?

When you pray are you really expecting God to answer?  When you ask for a miracle do you really think one could possible happen?

This past week I have been praying with a friend for a certain prayer request.  A pretty specific request. This friend text this morning and said my prayer may have been answered. She also said and if it is answered this way, it would be a miracle.

After reading that text I began to think about whether or not I had really expected God to answer that prayer.  I wanted him to answer this request and I wanted him to answer it in a way that my friend would know it was truly God.  That's what I wanted, that was what I was praying, but was I really believing it would happen?  Or did I just assume my friend would figure a way to work this out? (She is quite resourceful, hence the reason I was praying let her know it could only be God.)  Hmmmmm!!

What about your prayers?  What prevents us from praying this way?

For me it is the same thing as putting  my heart out there and really being open and loving someone.  If you open your heart to love someone you take the chance that they won't love you back, or they will let you down and disappoint you.  Which is probably going to happen at some point, we are all human beings full of self and sin.  

Believing in prayer is the same way.  If you pray and really believe God is going to answer then what if he doesn't?  Then where are you?  Then you have been disappointed, and FEEL like you have been let down by God.  It is much easier to put the request out there and say here's my request God if you want to answer it that would be nice.  Kind of like putting it out there and if God answers it, it is a bonus.

But what if we prayed, and truly believed our prayers made a difference, changed out comes (not that we change God's mind, but what if He is just waiting on us to ask?).  Now, don't misunderstand me.  I do not believe God is some Genie in a bottle waiting to give us what we want.  I am not a believer in the "name it and claim it" philosophy.  But maybe my prayers need some work in the believing, and trusting area.

After contemplating this this morning I picked up my bible and read John 1:43-51.  Jesus calls the disciples Philip and Nathanael.  Verse 50 says "Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe?  You will see greater things than these."

I think God is saying look at Nathanael.  He had enough faith and trust to believe who I was just because I said I knew who he was standing under the fig tree before I met him.  Because of the faith he showed believing in this small area Nathanael got to see many great things.

How are your prayers?  Are you saying God here is my request if you want to answer it that would be great. Or are you praying God here are the burdens of my heart and I trust them with you?