Have you ever been there?  Sure you have.  We all have.  We often find ourselves praying through our prayer lists and seemingly nothing is happening.  The same people remain on the list and it seems as though we see little to no progress.  What kind of progress are you looking for?  Do you think that God should answer your prayer the way that you want Him to?  That would be nice, but is that the will of God?  Don’t you think that God wants what is best for you as well as the object of your prayers?  Do you think that God is sitting in the throne room of heaven waiting for you to use just the right magical words, or to have the right attitude, or to make you squirm for a while, and then He will move?  Is the will and way of God dependent on you?  Really?  Is that what you think?

All too often that is how we pray.  That might even be what motivates us to pray.  We are told in 1Thessalonians 5:16 that the will of God for us in Christ Jesus is to “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.”  People are allegedly seeking the will of God and yet Paul tells us very clearly what it is here in this passage.  If you take a good look at what sits in the middle of that passage we are told to pray continually.  Have you ever thought that God’s way of getting us to do that is to keep us on our knees?  Could it be that the reason why God has not answered your prayer the way that you want Him to, and when you want Him to, is because He wants to keep you continually in prayer?  Constant Biblical, God honoring prayer will lead to giving thanks in all circumstances and being joyful always.  Prayer changes us, not things.  Prayer makes you more like Jesus.  The more time you spend with someone, the more you will become like them.  Take a look at couples who have been married for years.  It’s true!  You begin to eat things that you never ate before.  There are things that I eat now that I NEVER ate before.  I even watch Hallmark movies on Saturday and Sunday nights.  I don’t cry yet, but I am able to make Robbi frustrated with me because I tell her the endings within the first 5 minutes of the movie.  You begin to dress differently because your wife now dresses you.  Your momma used to dress you funny, and now your wife dresses you.  The more time that you spend with Jesus, the more you will be like Him, and the cool thing is that God desires to spend time with you!

Do your prayers make a difference?  You bet they do.  Sometimes you might think that your prayers are seemingly insignificant; that you are not that important.  I was reading in John 11 earlier this week and I read the passage where Lazarus is really sick and as Mary and Martha care for him, they send someone to Jesus with a message:  “Lord, the one You love is sick.” (v.3)  Pretty simple and to the point.  This messenger went to Jesus and talked to Him.  (Remember I have said that prayer is talking to God)  This message was the beginning of a huge change in the earthly ministry of Jesus.  Jesus waited for two more days until He decided to go to Lazarus.  He waited until Lazarus was dead!  I’m sure that was not the intent of the messenger.  I’m sure that the messenger ran all the way there to get to Jesus and give Him the message.  I’m sure that the messenger agonized over Jesus’ delay knowing the condition of Lazarus and the desire of Mary and Martha.  He delivered the message and probably followed Jesus hoping that Jesus might see him and that it might prompt Jesus to do something now or as quickly as possible.  But Jesus waited.  Why?  Because He wanted everyone to see the glory of God (v.40)  

One quick question;  what was the name of the messenger?  Why are we not told his name?  Did his message to Jesus make a difference?  Did his talk with Jesus make a difference?  You bet it did and we don’t even know his name.  Your prayers matter!  You may not ever realize the answer to those prayers on this side of heaven, but will it not be awesome to see how the will of God was accomplished as we stand together in the presence of God for all eternity?  Think about that the next time you are given the privilege to pray for someone.  

“Rejoice always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”