Is Your Prayer More Than An 11th Hour Desperation?

It’s down to the final minute, seconds of the game. What just minutes ago had looked like victory, now seems sure defeat. Too little time left, too far to go for the win. But wait, the quarterback has one last chance. He sends his receiver far down the field, all the way to the end zone. Then he lets the ball fly as far as he can throw it, hoping for a miracle.

We’ve all seen examples of the “Hail Mary pass” in football games or a wild half-court shot in basketball. Last ditch efforts to win the game. Most often they fail, yet some succeed and become our most celebrated victories.

The trouble with our praying is, we just do it as a means of last resort. ~Will Rogers

How often do we approach prayer with this same mentality?

We’re on our own fighting to win this game of life, but when we’re desperate we open our playbooks and choose prayer as our last-ditch, “Hail Mary pass” option because nothing else has worked.

I’ve done this countless times. Haven’t given prayer a second thought until the needs are so great that I know I need help. “Oh yeah, let me ask for prayers for this and see if that will help.”

Prayer is not a last resort, though, it’s meant to be how we develop a relationship with God.

Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines. ~Satchel Paige

I’m not saying God won’t listen to these prayers, but I think He’d prefer us to come to Him more regularly in prayer. Not just bring Him what we’re unable to solve on our own, but to bring Him our everything. Celebrate the good, give thanks for everything, share the struggles both big and small.

When you grow up and leave home, do you only call your parents when you’re in trouble or need money? Or, do you call and visit with them, share what’s happening in your life, ask about what’s happening in theirs? While your parents are probably always grateful to hear your voice and willing to help, they’d prefer if you called more often and just visited from time to time.

Prayer is not merely an occasional impulse to which we respond when we are in trouble: prayer is a life attitude. ~Walter A. Mueller

Prayer is meant to be an integral part of our lives, our way to cultivate a relationship with God. Yes, prayer is there for us when we’re in trouble, when we’re desperate when we have nowhere else to turn.

But couldn’t prayer be so much more? Maybe we wouldn’t even hit those depths if we were in more regular prayer?

Try using prayer as relationship building with God.

If you more often find yourself going to prayer when you’re in need, as your last resort, then let me suggest you try praying something different for a while.

• Focus your prayers on saying “thank you” for all the blessings in your life
• Praise God simply for who He is
• Pray the names of God and let his promises wash over you
• Ask God to speak to your heart

Stop asking God only for the 11th hour ‘Hail Mary’ and start seeking him in regular prayer, desiring a relationship more than a transaction.

Let prayer be your first stop rather than your last resort when you’re in need.

“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.

Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don’t want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of ‘good time’ is seldom in sync with ours.”

― Oswald Chambers

PRAY DEEP CHALLENGE: Take time today to pray, but not to make any requests of God. Simply share what’s going on in your life, thank Him for the good, praise Him for where you see Him at work, share the struggles you’re facing. Have a conversation like you might have with your Mom.

Resources:

Like this post? Explore this and other forms of prayer through the Pray Deep prayer journals. Each book will lead you through a variety of prayer methods through 21 days of focused prayers. Get started with one today!

{These are affiliate links – and my own books – so any purchases help grow and sustain this blog.}

This post is part of the “Pray Deep” series. For more information on the series or to download a complete set of printable prayer cards, click HERE.