Scott Foust Religious influences, regardless of how large or small, can be hard to shake. I often see this in the world of prayer. Growing up Baptist, I wouldn’t have been considered what one would call a “prayer warrior.” In fact, any time we had a special time of prayer, I hated it. When they expected 20 minutes or 30 minutes of straight prayer, I felt like the kid that gets to the amusement park ticket counter only to realize the park just closed. Begging God to do/not do; to intervene, to heal, etc. – it was always the same! And, looking back, I really can’t pinpoint why I hated it other than it didn’t seem to matter. Things happened regardless of the prayers raised. To me, it was just a waste of time. They would say that if God doesn’t answer the prayers, then He is still God and it is His will that He will carry out. And, even then, I thought, “Then why are we trying to influence His Will through prayers if His Will will be done regardless??” If it doesn’t matter because His Will will be done, then why pray at all? Well, little did I know that I was poking holes in the logic of the belief system I grew up in, but, I didn’t have that something/someone to cultivate that until I came to understand Pauline truth. It was as if Paul was saying, “There’s a reason you felt miserable with that kind of prayer life – because that’s not what prayer is given to you for.” Paul writes that whatsoever state he found himself in, with that state, he could be content. Why is this? What was it that gave Paul the reason to find contentment, regardless of the circumstances he found himself in? It was because of who he was in Christ. Paul could only write that we rejoice in the Lord always because of what it meant to be in Christ. Paul also knew of the grace that had been given to him and God told him that it was sufficient for Paul. Paul didn’t learn it at first (as many of us didn’t), but it took unanswered prayer for Paul realize something about God’s grace. 2 Cor.9 shows Paul praying 3 times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed. And, God doesn’t do it, but rather teaches Paul something about His grace. Paul concludes that it was more important to put God’s grace on display than to worry about the infirmity of the day. He says that he would rather GLORY in his infirmities so that the power of God would rest upon him. For, when Paul is WEAK, God is strong. Paul learned that his circumstances didn’t dictate his reality. His reality in Christ dictated his reality and it was through that that Paul could find contentment in whatsoever the circumstance was. So, where does that leave prayer then? Again, our religious influence has tainted our understanding of prayer. In the religious world, prayer, primarily, serves as climbing up on Santa’s knee. In other words, prayer is used as the means by which we pull on the reigns of God to get Him to hopefully move in our favor to provide us with stuff: job, spouse, money, food, house, clothing, health, prosperity, etc. But, is a prayer bathed in wantonness really demonstrating contentment? Now, there is a difference between expressing your personal desires and begging for them to be fulfilled. Paul would have us expressing our desires, but understanding that this isn’t the outlet to beg for their fulfillment. And this brings us to Phil. 4:6-7. Paul definitely would have us make ourselves known to God – whatever bother us, worries us; whatever desires we have, definitely, make it known. But, for what purpose? For the purpose of God taking action? Well, He does “take action”, but not the way the religious world would hope. The religious world wants nothing to do with Christ. They want to cloth Christ in themselves rather than being clothed by Christ. God will take action by giving you His peace to keep your heart and mind through Christ. No health, wealth, and prosperity – but peace to stabilize you, thus giving way to being content with whatsoever state you are in. And, when you are at peace, you are more prepared to put God’s grace on display.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:31:34 +0000
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