Why I don’t pray
Sometimes I need a reminder to myself of different reasons why I don’t pray or why I end up not praying. If I am walking in the Spirit and staying in fellowship with my Lord and Savior then these following remarks will not be true in my life. Instead I would have a desire to pray and communicate regularly with the One who has by His mercy and grace brought me out of the miry clay and set my feet on solid ground.
Random Reasons of why I don’t pray:
1. I have forgotten about the rewards I will receive if I enter into my closet and pray secretly before the Lord.
Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Many times I have seen the Lord reward me openly when I have brought my requests before Him in my secret closet.
2. I really don’t have confidence in the Lord that He will hear me and answer according to His will.
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
God will answer – I can be confident in Him!
3. I have forgotten that the Lord hears the prayers of the godly.
Psalms 4:3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
My lack of prayer means my lack of godliness.
4. I have forgotten how close I can be to the Lord when I call upon Him.
Psalms 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
What an awesome thought, to think that the Lord cares about drawing close to me!
5. I already feel safe and secure; I have all that I need.
Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I have forgotten that true security and protection comes from dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.
6. God probably doesn’t hear me anyway and if I do pray what is going to happen from one measly prayer from me?
Psalms 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. James 5:16 . . . The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
If I pray fervently I am promised that it will avail much!
7. I have already forgotten the great and mighty things that God has done for me in the past.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
If I continue to call unto Him he WILL answer. He WILL show me great and mighty things.
8. I have forgotten the great promise that God says ask and it WILL be given, seek and ye SHALL find, knock and it SHALL be opened.
But more than that I forgot that the power of the Holy Spirit on my life comes from asking God for it and He delights in giving me more of that power if I but ask Him.
Luke 11:9-13 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.
As I pray daily for the power of the Holy Spirit on my life, that request will be granted!
9. I have disobeyed, sinned, and now feel ashamed. Because of this I am sure that God won’t hear me.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I can be confident that He will hear my prayer of confession and that He remains faithful.
10. God surely does not care about helping me.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Wow! I can come boldly before the King of kings and am promised His mercy and grace to help in all my needs!
Recently I read a book entitled “Why We Pray” by William Philip. It really had some interesting thoughts and caused me to think about why I do pray and why I would want to pray. The author begins by saying ask yourself Why do you pray, not, why should I pray? That is a good question. Why do I pray? The author answers the question basically with four answers:
- God is a speaking God – He spoke creation into begin and made man in His image to that man could converse with Him. Sin ruined that, but if we have responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ we can once again come into God’s very presence and speak with Him regularly. You cannot have a relationship with Jesus unless you talk to Him regularly. We don’t really have relationships with our husbands, children, friends, etc., unless we speak to them.
- We are Sons of God – A son desires communication with his father. As a son of God we ought to desire to communicate with God. We do have the privilege of intimate access to our heavenly father in prayer. It is because of our status that God hears us.
- God is a Sovereign God – I really like the author’s comments on this subject. One might ask what is the point of praying since God controls all anyway? The author turns this around and says, what would be the point of praying if God DID NOT decide and control all things; what would be the point of praying if God COULD NOT do the things we ask?
- We have the Spirit of God – It is the Holy Spirit that makes us into real pray-ers and so it is that only the Holy Spirit that makes our prayers truly in line with the sovereign will and purpose of God.
