Prayer does not promise to free us from trouble. Indeed, God promises us the opposite. Trials will come. Such is this world. Rather, we pray to align our hearts and minds with God’s will.

We pray that we would accept God’s ordering of things, not our own, because it is HIS Kingdom.

We pray that we will be made strong and made better in difficulty, like gold purified in fire.

We pray that we would do those things which advance God’s purposes, to shine His testimony brightest in the darkness.

We pray for those things which we believe are in God’s will — but with the same caveat Jesus used — “not my will, but Yours be done.”

We pray with our eyes on the new heaven and new earth, where all these troubles will be solved, the dead will be reunited, and every tear will be wiped away.

God-Given Strength

The mockers will say, “See! Prayer did not help!” Not so.

It is only by faith that the tragedies of this fallen world become instruments of advancing a greater purpose.

The one who has no faith is defeated because they have no hope beyond living a trouble-free life, which happens to nobody.

But to the one who has faith, the troubles of this world are like gym equipment to a gymnast. They strengthen us. They bring us close to God. They help us to understand things with an ultimate and eternal perspective.

And it is those people, made fit by the fallenness of their world, who are strong to advance works for God; who walk in His ways; and who will rejoice the greatest when God greets them and all the troubles that made them are now resolved.

To put it bluntly, they are not the killers. They are the finest of people.

No point railing against the pray-ers in trouble. You will be better served to understand their method.

Then you can live with hope and meaning, too, no matter what this fallen world throws up.

Republished with minor changes, thanks to Martyn Iles.