Prayer Problems

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When I first became a Christian, one of the most difficult areas of faith for me to understand was prayer. It may sound juvenile being that the core of our spiritual welfare rests on the shoulders of prayer but, for me, it was dreadfully difficult. Sure, I felt better about my relationship with God after speaking to Him, but my pride could not penetrate the blanket of awkwardness I felt. Even when no one was around, the idea of pouring my heart out to an invisible Lord was challenging. Was He actually listening? Were the words coming out of my mouth of any importance to Him? Could prayer really change anything?

In Joshua 10:14, there is a passage that turned my prayer life around.
“There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man.” – NIV

Could it be? Could prayer really change something? Even when I was still unsure, what was the harm? I decided that I would rather talk all day long to a God who might hear one word than not talk at all. Then, it hit me…What was I expecting? Was I expecting the Almighty to come speak in my ear? Maybe, my expectations of God were all wrong.

Lately, my opinions of prayer have all turned around. Now, I simply share. I share with Him my praises. I share with Him my petitions. I share with Him just for the opportunity to be in His presence, not for what He will do with what I have said. This openness, this purity, has made all the difference.

Odd how much more we hear Him when we stop demanding His voice.