Tag Archives: prayer

The Aim of All Christian Effort

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Humility is realizing our unworthiness, the feeling and declaring of ourselves as sinners. Because we are sinners, saved by grace. Kneeling suits, us very well as the physical posture of prayer because it illustrates humility.

Neither pride nor vanity can pray. “When pride comes, then comes shame” (Proverbs 11:2). Humility is the very life of prayer. It is a positive quality, a substantial force that energizes prayer. There is no power in prayer to rise without it.

Humility springs from a lowly estimate of ourselves and of our deserving. “Humility, not pride, comes before honor” (Proverbs 15:33). To be clothed with humility is to be clothed with a praying garment.

Prayer has everything to do with molding the soul into the image of God. It has everything to do with enriching, broadening, and maturing the soul’s experience of God. A man or woman who does not pray cannot possibly be called a Christian. Scripture speaks of Jesus praying.

Prayer is the only way the soul can enter into fellowship and communion with the source of all Christlike spirit and energy. Therefore, if he or she does not pray, they are not of the household of faith.

God is Holy in nature and in all His ways, and He wants to make us like Himself. He wants us to be Christlike. This is the aim of all Christian effort. We must therefore constantly and earnestly pray to be made Holy. “Pray without ceasing” (Thessalonians 5:17).

Not that we are to do Holy, but rather to be Holy. Being must precede doing. First be, then do. First obtain a Holy heart, then live a Holy life. And for this high and gracious end, God has made the amplest provisions in the atoning work of our Lord and through the agency of the Holy Spirit.  

The most important qualities in Christ’s estimate of the highest form of praying are unbeatable courage and stability of purpose. Even if God does not answer our prayers right away, we must keep on praying. In Matthew we have the first record of the miracle of healing the blind.

We have an illustration of how our Lord did not seem to hear immediately those who sought Him. But the two blind men continued with their petitions. He did not answer them and went into a house. The humbled ones followed Him and, finally, gained their eyesight and their plea.

Being Courageous

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Being courageous means having, showing, or doing with courage—the quality of being ready and willing to face negative situations involving danger or pain. No whining afterward.

Courageous can be used to describe people who have courage, or the actions of such people when they face negative situations resolutely. Since we were taught not to define a word with the word, a close synonym is brave.

Fairytales and folklore would have us believe that courage is reserved for superheroes and crusaders. But it’s simpler than that. Courage is often found in the quiet moments when no one is looking.  

It has been said that courage is the complement of fear. However, a man/woman who is fearless cannot be courageous. He/she is a fool” (Robert A. Heinlein).

“We do not develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity” (Barbara De Angelis). The Holy Bible speaks volumes about courage. It also admonishes us to get guidance from the Creator. If not, we can become pumped up, bullies, and hurt others.

“Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith produces endurance. If any of you lacks wisdom, he is to ask of God who gives it to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him/her. But he/she must ask in faith, without doubting” (I James 2:3,5,6).

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen” (Winston Churchill). A lot of us have speaking skillfulness but fall short of our listening ability. What say you?

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me “(Psalm 23:4).

“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words “(Romans 8:26).

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).