this quote on prayer by John Bunyan has been haunting my thoughts for the past 5 days or so...
"Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to His word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God."
my prayers too often take the shape of what i would like to see God do. in most instances i have good intentions, wanting God to heal, or answer, or show power, or convert...all good and noble things for Christians to desire. but in them is an inherent selfishness that i have begun to realize. "if these things happen," i subconsiously think, "then it will benefit me this way...."
"with submission in faith to the will of God..." this is the struggle for me. submission first...then faith in the will of God. i lack both. pride has for too long dominated any desire to submit my heart and desires to Him. it's a relearning process and one that has not come without pain and loss. and faith in the will of God...our struggle to find the will of God usually begins and ends with ourselves. "what is God's will for me?" "what is God's will for my life?" a wife? a better job? a future without the nagging of my past? all of these are blessings from God, but none of these are promises of God...and if i am to follow the scriptural model of Christ....i should be praying for the things God has promised....love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc, etc....and have faith that i will receive those things and be living the will of God. i now pray for the grace to understand what He has promised...
"hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear unto my plea...in Thy faithfulness, answer me...."
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