Hardcore atheist turns to Christ. Terminally ill young woman finally gets accepted into a clinical trial. Huge bonus comes just in the nick of time when finances were tight. These seem like mini-miracles to me and are all legitimately answered prayers I’ve seen in my life! My prayer for today is that you’ll be able to see God working in your life through answered prayers. It seems there are misconceptions surrounding the subject of prayer like:
“Prayer doesn’t work because when I pray, nothing happens.”
“I only pray during the tough times, that’s all that’s necessary.”
“God isn’t listening anyway so why bother praying at all?”
Ever heard any of these, or even said them yourself? Do you desire a more fervent, real, and meaningful prayer life? Let’s dive in and demystify these misunderstandings so you can develop or build on a meaningful prayer practice.
(If you want more of a foundational knowledge first, read here.)
Misconception #1: “Prayer doesn’t work. Nothing ever happens when I pray.”
I hate to break it to you, but not every prayer gets answered with a “yes.” It’s really common to assume that if you didn’t see what you wanted to see after praying, that the prayer was lost in the sky. But in reality, not getting the answer you want IS an answer. Ask yourself: “Am I asking for my sake, or according to God’s will?” (1 John 5:14)
And, on top of that, God doesn’t work on our precious timeline. He works on HIS. You might pray for something for years and still see nothing. It’s not that this prayer wasn’t answered, it could be that it just isn’t answered yet. (2 Peter 3:8) I prayed for years for that atheist who became a Christian. It was a while before I saw any answers on that one!
My prayer for today is that you can ingrain this knowledge within you and develop a meaningful prayer life that is not based only on getting. I want for you to pray to God in a way that isn’t only results-based, but that you’d pray for the sake of having a relationship with Him. Yes, absolutely, make your requests known to God (Philippians 4:6), but let your prayer life be more than that. You can develop meaningful prayer practice through simple conversation with God.
If you’re wondering if asking for things in prayer is related to manifesting, and how manifesting fits into your faith, I’ve written all about that!
Misconception #2: “I only say a prayer when things are going bad in my life.”
The beauty of prayer is that it’s a conversation with God. Would you only talk to your best friend when you’re going through a tough time? No way! I’m sure you talk to your BFF through all of the exciting times of life too! The same goes for prayer and talking to God.
Ephesians 6:18 says, “praying at all times in the spirit, with all prayer and supplication…” Hear that? In ALL times! The good, the bad, and the ugly.
God cares so much for you and wants to share in all things. He’s the one blessing you in the sweet seasons, so don’t forget to thank him!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
And Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Praising and thanking God during the good times can be a wonderful prayer practice to incorporate for more meaningful prayer. My prayer for today is that you would spend time each time you pray, thanking God for the good in your life. This will not only highlight the blessings in your life but will help you to see the good in your life when you’re in a tough time.
Misconceptions #3: “My prayers go nowhere. God doesn’t listen to me so I don’t even bother praying.”
Let me tell you, I’ve been here. Sometimes it can feel that way- like God doesn’t care about your small problems and circumstances. But friend, He desires to know you and know you well!
James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”
Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
This verse highlights how much value you have in God’s eyes. Let me encourage you here that God DOES hear you. Even when you feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling and bouncing back at you, know that He hears them and is always listening.
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17) What a comfort! He hears you!
I’ve prayed many nights only for my prayers to seemingly fall back on my restless body after they hit my popcorn ceiling. It took countless nights of those types of prayers until I got to a place where I felt confident God was hearing me. I began to feel his presence with me as I prayed. Take heart, and be consistent. Ask him for help feeling his presence and He will grant it in time.
You can develop a meaningful prayer life by praying all the time, even when you don’t feel like it or don’t think He hears you. Lean into God’s desire to know you and have a relationship with you when you pray. You can work toward a meaningful prayer life by being in constant communication with Him, in small ways. My prayer for today is that you would let these verses sink in and understand that God is waiting to hear from you, so talk to Him!
Let’s Bring it Home
The top three misconceptions about prayer have effectively been shattered.
#1: Prayer does work, you just may not see the answer right away or get the answer you were hoping for.
#2: You can pray in every one of your circumstances, good or bad, and pray through a lens of thanksgiving for the blessings in your life.
#3: God IS in fact listening and waiting to hear from you each day, so chat with Him about anything and everything.
When you embrace these notions you can develop a prayer life that is meaningful! My prayer for today is that you would do these three things in the next few days to improve your prayer practice:
Pray for the sake of having a relationship with God.
Thank God in your prayers for the good (and the bad for how He will use it).
Keep in constant conversation with Him because He wants to know you.
I feel truly confident that if you implement the three tips above to create a meaningful prayer life, you will begin to feel God’s presence in a real way.
And so you can journey through this process together!
If you’re new to this, dig deeper here for further reading about the fundamentals of Christianity.
My prayer for today: that you will fall in love with talking to God!
Happy praying!
Related Reading
Is Manifesting a Sin? The Answer isn’t Clear-Cut and it Might Surprise You
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Thank you for sharing your perspectives on this matter.
So happy you liked the post!
Love the verses, what I learned in life pray without ceasing because God is listening and He always has His perfect time.
Absolutely! And his timing is much better than ours 🙂
This was a nice read! Misconception #3 was a big one for me for a long time. I’m not getting stuck on that one too much anymore. I loved the verses you shared. Thank you!
I’m thrilled you found the verses helpful 🙂