The Power Of Prayer

Julie MacDonald | Spiritual Development Director

As the freshness of the new year is upon us, one can't help but feel a sense of hope for the possibilities of 2023.

Leaving this past year behind and looking forward to what this next year holds, we can smile, take a breath, and remember just how far we’ve come. There’s a whole year sitting in front of us, just waiting to happen and each and every day we get to turnover what God has in store.

Maybe last year was a lot and thinking about living another one like it, makes your heart beat a little faster. Maybe the last thing you want is your 2023 to be just another 2022 all over again.

But wait…

What if I were to tell you that your 2022 doesn’t have to be your 2023?

What if I were to tell you the stress and anxiety that has haunted your soul for far too long, has the potential to dissolve within a matter of minutes.

That’s the power of prayer.

What if I were to tell you that the peace you have been trying so hard to find, just out of reach it seems, is possible?

What if I were to tell you that life doesn’t have to be this way?

That’s the power of prayer.

What if I were to tell you that the provision you’ve needed, is within reach?

What if I were to tell you the gap between your passions and your purpose is closer than you might think?

That’s the power of prayer.

Peace. Provision. Passion. Purpose.

Unlocked through the power of prayer. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to be an event or feel like an obligation. Prayer is simply an ongoing conversation with God every day.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added to you.”

As we are about to journey into a season of intentional prayer, let’s take heart that when we seek God first, “all these things”—peace, provision, passion, purpose—are promised to us.

The disciples were continuously intrigued about Jesus’ prayer life. He often ventured out alone to spend time with God in prayer. This habit of prayer developed a closeness to the heart of The Father and a Heavenly perspective. That’s the thing about taking things to God in prayer. Circumstances may or may not change, but we do. We begin to see God as our friend and as this friendship grows, our problems become smaller. Still there, still important, but not as taxing on our well-being because we know, “God’s got this. He’s my friend and this is only a season.”

And the best part is, because he’s God he hears our prayers. He gets our feelings. He knows the ins and outs of our hearts and souls. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He hears our prayers and in his own way, his own time, he will answer them. So let us not hold back in praying for specific things. Bold things. Real things. Little things and big things, necessary things and less-than-necessary things, things for us and things for others.

1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (ESV).

God cares about us. He cares about you. He cares about what worries you. He’s a big enough God, he can handle your worries. If we are willing to bring our cares to God, he will listen. But it doesn’t stop there. In return, we get to listen for his voice. We get to hear back from the all-powerful-God-of-the-universe!

Over these 21 days and beyond, let’s lean in together. Expectant for God to move on our behalf. Through it, we will be closer to God and despite what our circumstances may look like, our perspective will be on Him.

The power of prayer starts with us and ends with God.