November 2020

Sunday Word
Pastor’s Corner
November 2020

Be Careful What You Pray for…

A few years back, we went through a sermon series on “The Prayer of Jabez” (from 1 Chron.4). We quoted and noted highlights from David Wilkerson’s best-selling book with the same title.It’s a good prayer – “Lord bless me, protect me and keep me from pain”… who wouldn’t want
that, right? Yet, if our prayer life is filled with only that… we’re in grave danger!

True Growth, Transformation and Maturity (even in the Christian Life!) INVOLVES some pain, some discomfort and some struggle. I shudder to think what kind of life we’d have if we were totally pain-free, totally free of any discomfort or struggle… We’d all turn out to be spoiled, spineless, short-sighted and shallow whiners! I guess that’s why they’re called “growing pains”!

We should also take care in praying for benefits like Peace, Patience and Perseverance… ALL of which require difficult people and trying circumstances that challenge and display such virtues!

So what are we to do?… if we pray for no pain, we don’t grow… if we pray for growth, we’ll go through pain… what a difficult dilemma we are in! I look at the apostle Paul as he prays through the reality of his pain and declares God’s inspiring promise to him “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor.12:9). It was a MATURE PRAYER!

I guess what I’m asking us to do is to Mature in our Prayer Lives!… CONNECTING with God’s heart in prayer as opposed to just “uploading information onto God” (as some have mistakenly
defined prayer to be). Make sure that we grow in depth and quality in our prayer times! Always be mindful of the attitude of our hearts as it connects with God… Seasoned with Wisdom and dependent on God’s Grace. If this causes you to think twice about praying for an escape or a release from your struggles, then I would’ve achieved my purpose for writing.

Remember, be careful what you pray for…

Have a great week ahead!