You can't manipulate God

Hello friends,

I'm still feeling pretty good!  I thought I was feeling queasy yesterday after taking all my pills, but it turns out I was just hungry.  :)

Over the past couple of weeks, I've had many people tell me that they pray for me regularly.  A couple of people have honestly told me they haven't been praying as frequently as they could be, and they've apologized for that.

While I appreciate the sentiment, it really got me thinking.  It's easy to get into the mindset that if I receive a right level of prayers I'll be healed.  Or, if I would only pray for the right things, I'll be healed.  It's subtle how that type of thinking seeps into our prayers, but when we think that way, our prayers become more like a magical spell.  With the right combination of words, maybe we can bend God's will.

We can't manipulate God.

I do believe that prayer is powerful and effective.  I do believe that God answers prayers.  However, our God is omnipotent and sovereign.  He does whatever He pleases and has planned out all events from before time began.

Why do we pray then if God will ultimately do whatever He wills?  I don't profess to fully understand, but I recognize a few things.  First off, God commands us to pray.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to pray without ceasing.  Philippians 4:16-18 tells us to make our petitions to God.  In Luke 18, Jesus told parables so that people would learn to always pray and not give up.

Secondly, we're told that prayers are effective.  James 6:16 says that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective.  Jesus says that God listens to godly men (John 9:31).

Finally, we're told to pray according to God's will.  1 John 5:14 says that we can have confidence that God will answer us if we pray according to God's will.  Jesus Himself submitted himself to the Father's will when praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking for the cup to pass from Him.  "Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done," He prayed.

In some mysterious way that I don't understand, God uses our prayers to accomplish His will.  One of the amazing things about prayer that I've seen first hand is that through prayer, God molds and conforms our desire and will to His.

So friends, thanks for your ongoing prayers.  I believe God is using them in a powerful way.  Nonetheless, don't feel bad if you're not praying as often as you would like.  God wants us to be faithful in prayer, yes; but we also need to guard against somehow thinking that sheer numbers of prayers or the right combination of words will somehow force God to offer healing.