As Christian mamas, we know that Scripture commands us to pray. In fact, it’s presented as a non-negotiable! I remember a few years ago reading 1 Samuel 12:23 where Samuel says “as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.”
I thought, whoa. Sin against God by not praying? Gulp. Yep, that’s me.
I knew prayer was important, but I would have never realized that it was considered a sin to not pray. So back then, I ended up turning it into this huge burden and struggled with prayer. I would even get angry with myself or even feel condemned if I didn’t pray because I knew I should be doing it.
Thankfully, some things have changed since then!
For one, my perspective of God has changed. I’ve grown in intimacy with Him and have come to know His love for me in a deeper way, which has made meeting with God in prayer more enjoyable. Also, I’ve learned that if I don’t prioritize meeting with God in prayer and actually do it, then it won’t happen.
My husband and I have seen some pretty incredible things happen as a result of prayer. We’ve received insight we otherwise wouldn’t have had. We’ve seen situations shift, and most incredibly, our own hearts change as a result of keeping the fire burning on our prayer altar.
The reality is that we are born into the world with an enemy. It would be nice if that wasn’t the case, but it is. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy, and he is busy about it. We can’t pretend he doesn’t exist or think that he won’t try his tactics on us. On the flip side, however, God is present and active in the affairs of men. I say this with all sincerity, but there are things that happen that don’t have to happen if we were to root and ground our lives in prayer.
If you are wanting to develop a deeper and more consistent prayer life but feel like you keep allowing other things to get in the way, here are a few truths about prayer to shift your perspective and keep you focused.
Prayer sensitizes us to God
One of the greatest benefits of having consistent fellowship with God is that it sensitizes us to God. In prayer we are connecting to His heart and mind and it greatly influences our own souls. We want and need this because it affects the way we deal with our kids and our husbands.
There have been many times I’ve fallen out of fellowship with God for one reason or another. Maybe it was because I had harbored damaging lies about Him or that I became busy and wasn’t focused. Either way, I could see the effect that a lack of fellowship with the Lord had on my life. It’s a lot easier for me to be quick to anger and devoid of compassion. I could be rude and disprectful to my husband and (kinda) feel justified in it.
On the contrary, I have also seen and felt the powerful effects of spending much time in fellowship. There is an unexplainable sensitivity when you spend time in His presence. It’s like you absorb His character by being with Him, and it has an awesome influence on your soul.
If you’ve never experienced this in prayer, then I encourage you to sit before Him and just thank Him for His Presence. There are many times I go into prayer with no words, but I just sit before Him and absorb. If you feel like you struggle with this, then ask Him to reveal any wrong mentalities that you may have about Him and meditate constantly on Scripture.
Prayer changes situations
God has chosen to govern the universe in close association with the prayers of his people. Many times, things happen that can be stopped through prayer. And then there are times that things don’t happen that could with prayer. For example, Hannah prayed earnestly to God for a son and He granted her request. Up until that point she was barren (1 Samuel 1:5).
I believe this proves true for our own households as well. We can absolutely change the atmosphere and relational climate of our homes through prayer. We can prevent things from happening and see the supernatural effects on our situations through prayer.
There are countless stories in the Bible, and in real life, of situations that have changed through prayer. I mean think about it-you are inviting God, for whom nothing is impossible, to act on a natural situation. Something has to change!
As just one example, I remember when my oldest daughter was one year old. She started getting large breakouts of excema on her back and underneath her eye. As a first time mom it kind of scared me, so I did what I knew to do: I rebuked it off her back. I knew there was power in prayer, and that we don’t have to settle for illnesses, diseases, and bodily malfunctions. And guess what…not only did it leave, but it’s never come back!
If you struggle with consistency in prayer, I would encourage you to read this article about how to make a schedule that works. Very often, the best way to consistent fellowship is just setting aside time getting to know God. You can do it!
Prayer provides us with divine wisdom
God hears the prayers of His people and many times provides counsel through prayer. I can’t tell you how many times that me or my husband have received a specific set of directions for ourselves or someone else though prayer.
Here’s an example: about 4 years ago, when I only had two children, I was having a very difficult time with discipline. I didn’t know how to do it and I would just get frustrated with myself and my kids. I’d often text my husband while he was at work and unload on him because I was really struggling!
I (finally) took this matter to the Lord and asked Him for guidance. And after seeking Him, He spoke one word to my spirit: consistency. I could have easily gone and watched a Bible study on parenting, but I’ve realized that very often there are issues in our soul that only prayer will reveal. I was very inconsistent with discipline and I didn’t really realize it. So I took that word and began to change my plan for dealing with my children, and that wisdom that He gave has counseled me even to this day.
There are many more reasons I probably could have written about why we need to prioritize prayer. My hope is that through this, you will be inspired to revive, or maybe even ignite for the first time, your fellowship with your Heavenly Father who loves you. 🙂
If you would like to be further inspired by testimonies and teachings on prayer, here are some of my favorite resources for that:
The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer: Experience the Wonders of God Through Prayer
Related Posts:
How to Have a Prayer Life When You’re a Busy Mom
The Holy Spirit: Every Mom’s Personal Helper
Growing in Love Toward Your Kids
Winning the Battle of the Mind (for Moms)