How Complicated is Prayer?

Prayer requests. Sometimes you are asked to pray for others. Sometimes you need others to pray for you. Do you always know the exact need? Do you always know how to pray?

For a number of years I have heard people ask for prayers for a loved one, yet add specific instructions for those praying. Instead of just praying for God's help, it goes something like this: When you pray for my brother, be sure and pray that the tumor shrinks. Of course, that is based on the prognosis of the doctors tending to the patient. Or, perhaps people are instructed to pray that a friend would stop drinking (alcoholic drinks).

Let me ask, Have we narrowed down the problem so that we are praying for what is best? To be honest, I don’t know if the doctors have diagnosed the issue correctly. Assuming that they have (a good assumption), are there underlying issues that are undetectable?

As for the friend with a drinking problem, is controlling the drink the solution? Is there an underlying problem that needs attention?

My point: I would not want to make a request to God that is so focused that if He answered it according to my human understanding, it would actually restricts His grace. So, here’s something to think about from Scripture:

God said, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” 

—Isaiah 55:9

When it comes to things beyond my control, I am content to leave my difficulties in the hands of God. He can assess the situation far better than I can and He can bring about a result far greater than what I might imagine. 

So, just pray.

__________

Some folks like to call on prayer warriors when they have a prayer request. I know what a warrior is, and I think I know what they mean. Yet, I am making an assumption because I have not read the literature in which this term originated. (It is not in the Bible.) So I have to make something up in my mind. I don’t know if I am correct in my assumption and I don’t even know if I am a prayer warrior. The request begins, “I want all you prayer warriors to….” 

Is that me? 

Am I a part of the group? 

I intend no sarcasm, I just don’t know.

When I wish to call on fellow believers to pray, I think of a verse that gives hope:

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 

—James 5:16

It might sound critical, but I’d rather find a righteous person to pray for me than a prayer warrior.

I fear that many Christians today are more impressed with religious trends and exciting new terminology than the simple word of God.

Here are two more Bible verses about prayer for your consideration:

The Spirit also helps our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

—Romans 8:26

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

—Philippians 4:6

I don’t think focused prayer and prayer warriors are bad or wrong. Perhaps both make sense. But prayer is really simple; it is communication to God from our hearts.

He cares.

He listens. 

Let’s not make prayer complicated. 

Just pray.

Mark Stinnett

March 13, 2022