Our world has felt chaotic lately. Life as we knew it has paused, and even our most ordinary activities are still surrounded by a cloud of uncertainty. But I believe the uncertainty of what we’re experiencing is actually an opportunity to remember the importance of prayer. Now is the time to come together in unified prayer for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, our leaders, and our world.
When we unite our voices to lift up the name of Jesus, miracles happen, mountains move, storms stand still, fear flees, and our own hearts are transformed.
—Amy Groeschel
When we unite our voices to lift up the name of Jesus, miracles happen, mountains move, storms stand still, fear flees, and our own hearts are transformed. And even though life looks different right now, nothing can take away our ability to pray and praise our constant, never-changing God.
In prayer, we can acknowledge and remember that God is trustworthy and God is with us—even when life looks chaotic around us. He goes before us. He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5). It’s in these times of uncertainty that the importance of prayer becomes especially clear. It reminds me of something my husband, Pastor Craig, says often: “Prayer is never our last resort. It’s always our first line of defense.”
So, how do we pray? We don’t need to worry about using the perfect language. We don’t have to ramble on or use fancy words (See Matthew 6:5-13). We simply need to show up, be sincere, and, in humility, bring God our real selves. But as you pray, grab hold of this amazing truth: God has made us co-laborers with Christ and wants our faith-filled prayers to bring Him glory and praise. God wants His Kingdom to be revealed through us—His Church—and by our prayers. So pray humbly, but also boldly! Seek His glory and fame!
Our prayers may not always get answered in the way we expect. But we can be confident in God’s sovereign wisdom and loving faithfulness over all the earth.
True prayer begins with a humble heart. It’s not demanding. And often the first step to humility is our honesty.
—Amy Groeschel
That’s why, back during 2020, I challenged many of my friends and family to pray for humble repentance, inspired by David’s prayer in Psalm 139:23-24. We asked God to search us and to help us turn from anything that was not pleasing to Him. Often, the first step to humility is honesty—simply evaluating where we’ve missed the mark. We’re only as humble as we are honest. So, we go before God with a humble, repentant heart, knowing that His grace meets us and transforms us to become more like Christ.
All of us can benefit from taking part in this kind of prayer challenge. If you’re interested in taking part, you can download this prayer. I’d challenge you to pray it consistently for seven days.
Scripture tells us that we can go before God boldly, and He hears our prayers (Hebrews 4:14-16). So let’s come together and lift our cares to the only One who can carry them completely. Prayer matters. Prayer changes things. And most of all—prayer changes us.