Praying Making a Qualitative Difference

Last Sunday I began my sermon series on prayer. I posed the question at the end of my message for conversation among the worshipers: "How might prayer make a qualitative difference in a person's life?"

I believe it's easy to think of prayer in terms of quantity: we pray for so many things and obtain so many things. But let's look deeper at the quality aspect.

Surely, we can pray for big concerns such as for an injustice to be overcome or for better economic prosperity in our country. However, I believe the power of prayer is also in what it does to the person that will make a qualitative difference.

By developing a life of prayer, the by-product so to speak, is that you will develop greater communion with God. You will see your life in a way where every step is to be guided by the God who made you. You will also have found an anchor for your life. Who does not need something like this amid the chaos and uncertainty in our world today?

Another aspect is that you will grow in your conversation with God. You will find that your concerns might even change or how you pray for a certain concern will change over time. This is all personal growth on your part.

Therefore, I believe if you take prayer seriously and really dig deep into it, you will reap the benefits so that prayer not only changes things, but you as well.

What Do You Uphold as the Benefit of Prayer?

I was thinking about various facets of prayer today along with what one would claim are the benefits of prayer. Here are a few things that came to my mind:

1. Prayer helps to get our problems solved.

2. Prayer helps to steer one's life in the right direction.

3. Prayer is an avenue to place your hope in a higher power.

4. Prayer moves you to find peace for yourself.

I'm sure more benefits could be added to this list. However, I believe that the prime benefit of prayer is that it will make a significant difference in one's relationship with God. You will be drawn closer to God. You will be learning more about what it means to trust God in your life.

In praying you are surrendering your life into the hands of the Creator of the universe. Whether your prayer includes elements of confession, praise, petition, or thanksgiving, you are acknowledging your life is wrapped up with God.

Prayer is an avenue to help you grow in your relationship with God.

How You Start Your Day Matters

I have personally been in the habit of having devotions early in the morning after breakfast. I must confess here that sometimes, for various reasons, I have bypassed this ritual only to try to sneak it in later in the day. What I have found on such days is that my day doesn't seem to have started right. Something was missing.

The words of Psalm 5:3 read: "O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch." The psalmist here was pleading for having God's strength in order to live a righteous life, realizing the taunting coming from his enemies. I would believe that starting out the day with prayer did make a difference.

Early in the morning there are many things vying for our attention such as television and the daily newspaper. How willing are you to let God be first for you in the morning? I believe that when God has priority and we have a proper start to the day, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. We will live in the strength of God. We will be open to all that God wants to do in our lives.