When Prayer Doesn't Come Easy

Surveys tell us that at least a billion people across the globe have prayed in the past month – now the statistics don’t tell us to whom they prayed or what they prayed about, simply that they did indeed pray.

The Pew Research Center reports that 55% of American adults have prayed in the last 30 days. In the UK, almost half have prayed at least once in their lives, 28% in the past month. In China, only around 16% of people consider themselves to be “religious” (whatever that happens to mean) but hey, 16% of 1.4 billion is still over two hundred and fifty million people!

You get my point … so if you’ve prayed in the last 30 days, you’re far from being alone in this world.

And yet, as much as we wouldn’t like to admit it, prayer can often be a struggle when times are tough. But many giants of the Christian faith – Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Mother Theresa, C.S. Lewis, Watchman Nee – reported times of spiritual dryness; times when they felt that God had abandoned them; times when they struggled to pray.

So do you imagine that God doesn’t know that? Of course He does. He knows all our struggles and limitations …

Romans 8:26-27 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. (NLT)

So the next time you’re struggling to pray, remember, you’re in good company. Sit quietly, focus on God … and He will show up.

Because that’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.