I recently heard (#AmazonAdLink) Bob Roberts make the following shocking statement:
“I think all Christians need to pray less. Instead, we need to just shut up and play ball.”
At first, I was shocked, because we so often hear that we need to pray more, and that the kingdom of God advances on our knees.
But then I got to thinking about it. I think that many of us substitute prayer for obedience. We need to pray less and obey more.
Pray vs. Obey?
We know what God wants us to do, but instead of obeying, we pray about it.
Every single one of knows that we are supposed to show love to our friends, coworkers, family members, and neighbors. But instead of actually doing that, most of us pray about it instead.
We say: “Dear God, please help my neighbor with his marital problems. Please help my coworker with her troubled kids. I’ve been praying so long for my father, God. Please do something.”
Does that prayer sound familiar?
Listen to the prayer time in your church this Sunday, or in the Bible Study you attend. I guarantee that in most of these prayer times, someone will pray that God will help the people in your community with their problems and struggles.
Then ask yourself, “What are we as a church, what am I as a Christian, actually doing about these needs ourselves?”
When we pray to God to help others, it is possible that God is “praying” for us to go help others?
How about when someone is hurting, or sick, or in financial need? Do you pray about it, or do you actually help them? What do you think God wants you to do?
Let Me Pray About It
I am constantly haunted by a conversation I witnessed about five years ago between a father and his son. (The father was a pastor, by the way.) I was working at a Bible camp, and we needed some staff for the following week. The son asked the father if he could stay and help out. The father answered, “I’ll pray about it” and walked away.
The son turned to me and said, “That means ‘No.'”
The son had his dad figured out. His dad was using prayer (and God) as a way to spiritualize his own decisions to not grant his son’s requests.
I wonder how often we treat the commands of God this way? Instead of just telling God “No” we tell him “I’ll pray about it.” Prayer, when used in such a way, is a spiritual way of stalling so we don’t have to obey God.
The next time you catch yourself saying (or writing) to someone, “I’ll pray for you” stop and ask yourself if there is something you can actually do for the person instead.
Do you want to pray like never before?
Do you what to talk to God like you talk to a friend? Do you want to see more answers to prayer?
If you have these (and other) questions about prayer, let me send you some teaching and instruction about prayer to your email inbox. You will receive one or two per week, absolutely free. Fill out the form below to get started.
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Hey Jeremy!
Long time no talk. I was thinking of you when I watched the following video. http://www.sozoproductions.org/videos/lazarus.htm The guy that does it is a universalist, but if you can get by that and watch his exegesis of the parable of the rich man and lazarus I think you’ll find it a bit intriguing. The reason I find it so interesting is that it offers a way that the parable may not be talking about going to hell or heaven when one dies. This solves the problem of “repentance” in this passage (assuming you hold Hodges’ view of repentance). I’d like to get your thoughts on it. I know you’re busy so take your time in reviewing it. Later.
Tom <
This is an issue I have long struggled with in our own work here in Ecuador. To me it is a case of BOTH are needed: prayer and action. One without the other is futile. One of the quotes I pasted in the back of my Bible many years ago says, “Pray as if everthing depended upon God; work as if everything depended upon man.” This tension must be present at all times.
Guy,
That is absolutely true. After Bob Roberts made this comment, someone challenged him on it. He clarified by saying that he prays all the time, everywhere he goes, as much as he can. He spends at least an hour in focused prayer every day.
So in one sense, all of us need to pray more. But there are some things we pray about that we just need to pray less about, and just obey.
I went and browsed around you blog. Wow. It looks like you are doing great things in Ecuador. I loved the post about church planting with prostitutes, and partnering with charismatics. Also, that post about the things Neil Cole learned in church planting was excellent. I have his book and will be reading it soon.
I will be adding your blog to my bloglines reader! Thanks for all you do.
“…I’ll pray on it…That means no…”
That reminds me of a funny story, a bit off topic:
My brother-in-law sells insurance and back in the day he was literally a door-to-door salesman in several states. He loves to tell the story of a Pentecostal community where he was working. All the Pentecostals he visited said the same thing when he was done with his pitch. “We’ll ask God about it and let you know what we decide.” Then they never bought a policy. One would think that was just a polite brush-off. However, he started telling them, “I’ve already spoken with Him and He said you should get the Extended Policy,” and (he says, anyway) that it worked. 🙂
HA HA HA! That is so funny!
I’m going to start using that!
This is a great post! Keep up the great work brother. Thanks for your support and encouragement.
Ellis
Bravo. Where is the “like” button?
http://nomadicministry.com/stop-praying-to-the-ceiling/
This absolutely resonates with me. I have been going through the most terrible storm for almost a year and many local Christians have uttered the same ‘I’ll pray for you’ mantra. Genuine, heartfelt prayer and intercession works. But I am facing a battle mostly alone (albeit with God).
If I have a car trouble, I’d prefer someone to refer me to a good honest mechanic, not I’ll pray for you routine.
Same here!
Unless their need requires a miracle, anyone is capable of helping someone out of their troubles.
Why not both?
Absolutely. But most Christians only pray. If you’re going to do one or other other, then just help.
Amen yes, I ask myself how can I partner with God to use resources I have in actively interceding to help someone.