IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE HEALTHY OR ANEMIC?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
(Colossians 4:2)

MEDITATION:
If someone were to ask you if you thought prayer is very important
for believers, the chances are you would agree that it is an essential
part of the Christian life. However, if someone asked you if you were
committed to a fervent prayer life, you may not be able to answer
with an affirmative.

Some folks allow the busyness of life to rob them of the time
they would spend in prayer. Making prayer a high priority is
a struggle for some as they fight for wise allocation of their time.

Sometimes we over-commit ourselves, and our time for prayer
suffers as a result. The demands of our jobs can steal our time
for prayer. Prayer time can be a casualty of hobbies, sleep,
television, attitudes, lack of concern for others, or any number
of other things. Some just fail to give prayer its proper priority.

If prayer is really important, then we should set aside a certain
amount of time to pray. One of the greatest benefits of prayer is,
it changes us. When we pray, it puts us in touch with God and
His direction for us. It also contributes to our being humble as
we pray for others. We live fast-paced, hectic lives, but we have
a tendency to try to handle everything in our own strength. When
we finally exhaust our attempts, we carry our burdens to God as a
last resort (instead of our first resort).

It is only through prayer that we can get a better understanding
of the Lord’s ways. Prayer draws us closer to Him and helps us
to know Him better. Look at our advice in 1 Peter:
    Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
    (1 Peter 5:7)
How can we ‘cast our anxieties on Him’ without praying faithfully?

We can see the connection between anxieties and prayer in Philippians:
    Do not be anxious about anything, but in every
    situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
    present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Again, prayer is the venue for alleviating anxieties.

Have you ever prayed about an issue, but picked it up again
and tried to resolve it yourself? It is only through a continuous
prayer life that we are able to release our cares and place them
in God’s hands. When we have committed our life to Him and
we have a desire for His will to be our will, then and only then,
can we cast our cares upon Him and leave them there.

Prayer is the greatest tool the Christian has at his or her disposal.
Continuous prayer produces faith, moves mountains, and molds
us into the character and image of God. In 1 Thessalonians we are
told to pray continuously.
    Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks
    in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for
    you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
We should set aside a time every day for prayer,
but we should also pray throughout the day.

ACTION:
How is your prayer life?
Do you pray at all?
Do you only pray during specific times of need?
Do you ask the Lord to mold you into the person He wants you to be?
Do you thank Him for your blessings, and for answered prayers?
Do you pray intercessory prayers for others?
Do you pray for the sick and the lost?
Do you pray throughout the day?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, please forgive me if I have failed
to give enough attention to prayer and consider its
importance in my life. Help me to rearrange my
schedules and priorities so that I always have time
to pray each day. Teach me how to pray throughout
the day. When I pray, bring to my mind those who
need me to pray for them. Thank You for the gift of
prayer. Make me aware of how I can be changed
through praying faithfully and continually.”

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