Devotionals

Why Does God Want Us To Pray Consistently

Why does God want us to consistently pray for something?

At times, it feels like God is taking forever to answer our prayers. We wait, we pray, and we pray some more. Time keeps passing by. The clock keeps ticking. While waiting, our hearts can grow weary.

But there is a reason why. God can answer any prayer with the snap of a finger, but He doesn't do that. The Bible says that His ways aren't our ways, neither His thoughts nor our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). We can trust God has a higher wisdom than us. We often want things now, but God sees things with an eternal perspective.

1) It shows our seriousness

No one shows a persistence for something they don't want. There is a quote that says some things are worth fighting for. You won't go over a kitten. Nearly risk your life for something you see as invaluable. Whatever you value in life, try even if you can go to the gravest extent to get it.

Though we are Christian, we don't go to any length to get what we want in the sense of bribery, lying, etc but we are enraged to persist in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and persistent in asking (Luke 11).

It shows that we truly hunger and desire it. If you truly want something, you can grow great lengths for it. When we keep praying, it shows God just how much we desire it.

2) It shows what we are willing to give up

We know that weary feeling. Where you just feel tired. You feel crushed. It hurts thinking of how long it's been, but when we continuously pray, it shows we aren't willing to settle.

Think of someone praying for a spouse or to be somewhere. When you remain prayerful and do not compromise. It shows God you're serious and won't back down. We can easily get distracted and settle, or we can take steps to keep going. When we remain in prayer, it shows we aren't willing to give up on receiving God's go-ahead, direction, learning, etc

3) It grows your patience, perseverance, and trust.

When you pray consistently for something, it increases your patience. You won't have that now now nature, but you'll be expecting it at the right time, patiently waiting. You learn to persevere when you're tired. Trust me, I know the days when you just get tired and desire to have do, but you fight through those days. You become unshaken. You can keep praying when things appear bad, and it increases your faith and trust in God.

To persevere requires hope and faith. Faith in God's character and hope in His promises. It is not something essay. To trust that God will make a way requires you to walk in faith and not sight (vdrse). It requires you to believe there is a God out there who hears you and knows your name. It requires you to believe His word so you keep going and don't give up.

4) Prayer changes us along the way

You begin to change. Your heart, motivation, and behavior change. When you preserve, your heart is transformed and prepared for whatever you are praying for.

How does prayer change you?

It changes you because the deeper you go in prayer, the more you spend time with God. It's sad but true, we often pray the most when we have a lot of problems. We seek God the hardest when we feel we need Him the most. When we dwell and spend time with God, it's like approaching light, and the light begins to remove the darkness that's in you and even expose it so you can improve.

While you are praying, maybe God will reveal the pride hidden in your heart or the lust that needs to be changed. God is more concerned about your character, and you represent Christ more than you just being materially blessed.  He is also more concerned about your relationship with Him because He wants your heart. He doesn't want any gift or talent to take you away from Him.

So He will allow the waiting to keep happening so you draw closer to Him, trust Him, rely on Hin, and be transformed by Him

-etty