Your prayers are not in vain. Oftentimes in life, there is a tendency to think to oneself, “Gosh, do my prayers really matter?” Whether your prayers are being answered, not being answered, you find God doing the exact opposite, or even answering your prayers for other people, continuing to be a woman of prayer can be difficult.
There have been many seasons in my life where I can see the prayers answered, one after the other. God seamlessly working in my life has given me confidence and hope. But there have been other seasons where God doesn’t seem to be answering, but he seems distant. As if He is hearing my prayers and avoiding them. God, are you hearing my prayers?
Luke 18:1 has been a consistent passage that has encouraged me in my walk with Jesus. Luke 18 is the parable of an evil ruler, who doesn’t fear God or man. However, this ruler’s world collides with the life of a widow who continues to ask for help and aid. Through the widow’s persistence, the evil ruler decides to grant the woman what she desires. But here is the catalyst for me, Luke 18:1 says, “And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
Ladies, the point of this parable is to encourage us to KEEP PRAYING!
As the parable concludes by saying, “And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?"(Luke 18:6-7).Ladies, if an evil man can give aid and answer, why not our Savior and Friend?
Although we are not sure the where or when of the timing of God’s answering of prayers, we have a challenge from our Savior to talk to Him, to pray, and to keep seeking His face. There is a challenge to not lose heart.
But prayer is paired with a sobering hope: even if you do not have a single prayer answered on this side of eternity, we have the Savior, and He is enough.
Prayer Points:
Continue in prayer!
God wants to hear from you, keep talking to him.
Although we can be discouraged by unanswered prayers, we can be encouraged by the answered prayer that is our Savior, Jesus.
A book I often go to in my quiet time is the book Valley of Vision, which is a book of puritan
prayers. These prayers were written hundreds of years ago, as men of the faith wrote down their wrestles and struggles. I hope this prayer encourages you to not lose heart.
“God, my friend, Give me unwavering faith that supplications are never in vain, that if I seem not to obtain my petitions I shall have larger, richer answers, surpassing all that I ask or think. Unsought, You have given me the greatest fit, the person of Your Son and in Him You will give me all I need.” (Taken from the Valley of Vision)
The Best is Yet to Come,
Hannah Staubs
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