When We Find It Hard To Pray

TITLE: WHEN WE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PRAY

SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 8:26 / ROMANS 15:30

(This is not an original sermon, it is a combination of various ministers with my own adaptations throughout)

Richard Dehaan told of a soldier who was doing guard duty on the front line in WWI. After being relieved of duty, as a Christian, he wanted to pray, to thank God for protecting him, and to ask for His continued protection. But the enemy lines were very close, and he couldn’t go far, so he just walked a little ways away from where he had been standing guard, knelt and began to pray aloud. The soldier who replaced him heard his voice and thought he was speaking to someone in the enemy lines. So, he reported him. The officer in charge said, "you’ve been accused of revealing secrets to the enemy. How do you respond?"

• The soldier said, "It’s not true. I wasn’t doing that"

• The officer replied, "Then what were you doing when you were out there facing the enemy and talking?"

• He said, "I was praying"

• "You were praying out loud?"

• "Yes, I was the young soldier responded"

• The officer said, "Show me. Pray right now"

• So, the young man knelt and prayed

• And when he finished the officer dismissed the charges

• "Because," he said, "nobody can pray like that unless he has been practicing"

In my Christian life, I have found that prayer is a difficult discipline. I concur with others that praying moves through different seasons.

• My Posture may change

• My Prayers may change

But whatever season I am currently facing, my specific prayers are often marked by experiences.

• If I am Doubting - I pray for Faith

• If I’m Hurting - I pray for Healing

• If I’m Confused – I pray for Understanding

• If I’m Worried – I pray for Calmness

• If I’m Restless – I pray for Peace

• If I’m Afraid – I pray for Comfort

• If I lack Wisdom - I ask God to give me Discernment

If this is true for you, we are together in the difficult discipline of prayer, for i am no saint when it comes to fervency of prayer.

• Prayer is a lagging discipline that needs constant shoring up

• Prayer is a spiritual discipline that needs cultivation

• The ground needs to be turned over

• Seeds of prayer need to be planted and watered

• We wait like the farmer, trusting the seed will sprout and multiply its blessing

Prayer takes effort and constant fine-tuning.

• We learn to pray

• We learn what not to say

• Disciples did not ask Jesus to teach them how to Pray

• ST. LUKE 11:1 “…LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY….”

At one point, Paul commended Epaphras on his fervent prayer life, calling him fervent in prayer - “EPAPHRAS GREETS YOU, ALWAYS LABOURING FERVENTLY ON YOUR BEHALF IN HIS PRAYERS” - COLOSSIANS 4:12. I like this descriptor that the apostle uses — prayer is indeed a struggle and we must learn to become Fervent in it.

In the midst of this Pandemic and the past four years of this Trump Administration, that finally came to an end – COVID-19 and sickness all around us – can’t go out and visit and travel – can’t shake hands and hug our friends and church family - there are times when i don’t feel like praying – there are times when the Holy Spirit must help us in our weaknesses.

• For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought

• But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered

• I will talk more about that in a few minutes

Prayer is not a mood. It is our lifeline to all that is good and must be chosen above our feelings. Sometimes we just have to “FAKE IT ‘TIL YOU MAKE IT.” – PAUL FAULKNER said “IT IS EASIER TO ACT OUR WAY INTO FEELINGS THAN FEEL OUR WAY INTO ACTING.”

• An author was once asked how he motivated himself to write

• He replied, “I just start writing”

• When the people began rebuilding the WALLS OF JERUSALEM, it took them fifty-two days once they got started -- NEHEMIAH 6:15

Oftentimes when we find it hard to pray – we need to just get started.

• Just start talking to the Lord

• Just start Praying

• Don’t worry about the Words

• Don’t worry about your Posture

• Don’t worry about Sounding Good

• Just start Praying

It’s difficult to pray because humbling ourselves, getting over ourselves, and coming to the end of our stubborn and sinful selves is hard.