There are many things I don't understand yet about prayer, but there are some things I'm learning. I'm coming to understand what prayer is not. Prayer is not our efforts to overcome a Divine Reluctance to help us. Prayer is not an attempt to twist the arm of the Almighty to do what we want Him to do nor even to do what we know from His Word He wants to do. Prayer is also not an endeavor to awaken a slumbering deity or prevail over some hearing impairment. God is not hard of hearing; we don't have to strive to make ourselves heard. I have had to wrestle with all of these false notions. Don't we all?
At the heart of true prayer is the realization that God is for us. We are not trying to get His attention. Rather He is calling us to come to Him. Consider these verses:
· "Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)
· "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." (Psalm 62:8)
· "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)
· "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)
Aren't those verses given to enable us to see and understand the Divine Intention? God is the Great Initiator. He is inviting us to come to Him, and even to pour out to Him all that's in our hearts. He wants to reveal the greatness of His love and power; He wants to raise us up to higher planes, to give us supernatural solutions—Kingdom solutions—to earthly problems and needs.
I have to remind myself of these things because the enemy of our souls is constantly trying to paint a picture in our minds of a stingy, withholding god, just as he did with Eve (Genesis 3:1-6). In this area of prayer, I have to speak truth to my soul. God is for me. God is calling me to come. God is inviting me to share the whole of my heart with Him. God desires to give me the whole of His heart and Kingdom.
Come. Come to Him. Divulge to Him all your needs and fears and problems and turbulences of heart.