What is our purpose in prayer?

Ooo my first EVER blog...exciting!

I'm not really sure how long i'm going to keep this up for because i'm pretty sure no one will actually read it...!

I suppose the main thing on my mind right now is God's ability to work miracles. I was praying for healing for someone earlier and had to stop and question myself as to whether I actually had the faith that God would hear my prayer and actually do something about it. Did I believe in a God who still does miracles today? I turned to 1 John 5:14 which says this:

"This is the assurance we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."

 

This got me thinking. So long as we ask for something which is according to God's will, He'll do it. This is in the Bible, and it's a promise. But how do we know what His will is? Does this mean His will for my life, or His will in general? Are the two actually separable? Maybe the answer is this: If what we ask for is for the glory of God, and purely for this intention, He will do it.

As human beings, we often have our own agendas when praying.

I remember a few times when I've genuinely been like "Dear God, please help me to find my keys" or something stupid like that. Now although God does love to work in all the seemingly insignificant areas of our lives, ultimately, if we ask for something in prayer, it has to be for God's glory. No other reason. This is what we're living for right? So what's the problem?

Well, it's not always as easy as this is it. I know I want God to be glorified in everything I do, but if I'm praying for something, like healing for somebody for example, my first agenda in praying for that is because I want that person to be healed. Yes, God will be glorified through the healing, but this isn't why I prayed is it?

In the Bible, there are loads of examples of people wanting Jesus to perform signs for them so they can do a bit of ooing and aahhing. On many of these occasions Jesus rejects these requests because he knows the glory he will receive will be futile and not genuine. So how is it different for us then? How are our requests different from theirs?

I think the answer is this: Those people didn't believe Jesus could actually perform the miracles they were requesting, and even if they did believe he could give them 'a bit of a show', they certainly didn't believe this was because he was the Son of God and had all the power and authority to do anything.

If we, however, come to God with a genuine request and with the mountain-moving faith that He will do it, then this in itself is glorifying to God. God is our loving Father and loves it when His children come to Him for help. So even if our motivation is at first a little selfish, if we ask for it in Jesus's name, with the certainty that He will answer our prayer, this is already a long way along to glorifying God.

I know we'll never be able to have a perfect attitude but I definitely think it's something to work on. If we approach God with just a long list of things we want him to do and don't actually acknowledge how he may be glorified through answering these things, then this is totally pointless and in no way glorifying Him. Similarly if we approach God without the certainty that He can, without a doubt, do whatever we ask of him, this isn't glorifying to Him either as we are limiting Him with our doubts.

So, what have I concluded?

1. God definitely can still work miracles. It's a promise that He will do whatever we ask in His name.

2. Our main motivation in prayer should be the glory of God, not our own requests. Once we start to turn the prayer around to focus on God rather than ourselves, the glory goes to him.

3. Prayer is a major part of the Christian life. Once we begin to have the right attitude in prayer, I think other areas which we may struggle to glorify God in more, will start to be a lot easier.

"And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him!

Who then can understand the thunder of his power?" (Job 26:14)