Prayer
Do you find praying difficult? I know some of you do, because you’ve told me, and I suspect lots of others of you do, too. I struggle with prayer, too. And that’s especially challenging when someone told me, Ben, you are paid to pray!’ It wasn’t very helpful.
Sometimes we find it hard because we don’t know what to say. That’s relatively easy to overcome, because there are oodles of resources – not least the Bible itself – to help us with the actual words. And there’s nothing wrong with simple, heartfelt prayers. In one of his parables Jesus commended the simplest of all prayers, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner’ (Luke 18.13).
Sometimes we find it hard because we don’t have time day by day so the best we can manage is brief on-the-go’ or arrow’ prayers. There’s nothing wrong with those – as part of our prayer life… but there is more to prayer than that. It’s important to set aside time – as Jesus did – so our day is shaped around prayer, rather than trying to fit prayer into our day. Word to the wise: if you try to fit’ prayer into your day, you’ll find you won’t, more often than not.
Sometimes we find it hard because we prefer to pray with others, and don’t have the opportunity to do that. I know many of you are in Life Groups – it would be amazing if everyone were in a Life Group, and even better if praying together were a highlight in those. If you are in one – perhaps you can think about how you can raise the bar for prayer in them, and really seek the Lord together? There are other opportunities for prayer together as well, including a monthly Prayer Breakfast and other regular prayer meetings. If you find prayer hard, and struggle on your own, please try one of the many opportunities on offer at Christ Church.
But you know the real reason we find prayer hard? And the reason why I struggle with it, and so many of us?
Prayer is a spiritual battle. It is a wonderful privilege and a key part of our relationship with our Lord – but it is also a fight. The enemy does not want us to pray. Why? Because it is so important. Because it makes such a difference. Because he knows when we don’t pray we start to drift away from God. And that’s what he wants
So many people, when they tell me they feel far from God, also tell me they aren’t praying – not really. Is it any surprise? If you don’t spend time with someone, do you feel close to them? Or do you feel steadily more and more distant? Friends, that is what the enemy wants. He wants you drifting away from God.
Prayer is a spiritual battle. That’s why you find it hard. It’s not because you are too busy. It’s not because you don’t have the opportunity. It’s not even because you don’t know what to say. It’s because it’s a battle – so the question is, do you want to join the fight? Because in Jesus we have all the resources we need, and in Jesus the battle is already won. So do you want to join the fight? Do you want to pray?
Revd Ben Green – Vicar
Go link: go.ccsp.uk/5530