Prayer Is Part of the Work: Growing Your Prayer Life

We hear a lot about prayer in the church. If you spend any time around the church, you are going to hear about prayer. Christians pray. That is just something we are supposed to do, right? Some of us enjoy praying, and some of us don't enjoy it quite as much. But it can be easy to assume that everyone who comes into a church understands what prayer is, knows why we pray, or even grew up knowing how to pray.

That assumption is becoming less and less true. We live in a world that is becoming more and more post-Christian, and we have people coming into our churches who did not grow up in the church. They may not know what prayer is about or understand why Christians place such importance on it.

I know that experience personally. I did not grow up in the church. The first time I experienced prayer in someone's home over a meal was in the fourth grade. I had been invited for dinner, and before we ate, this family prayed.

It was a simple moment, but looking back, it was also an introduction to something that would become central to my understanding of following Jesus. Prayer is not just something Christians are supposed to do. Prayer is part of God's plans and purposes. Prayer is one way God chooses to work in the world. That is an important distinction.

Too Busy to Pray? Why Prayer isn’t a Waste of Time

In our culture, we can become so focused on getting things done. We have our schedules,  responsibilities, projects, and never-ending to-do lists. We are constantly moving on to the next thing. And if we're honest, there are times when slowing down and stopping to pray can actually feel like a waste of time.

But that could not be further from the biblical worldview. In the biblical worldview, prayer is essential to all that God is doing. Prayer is not something we do after the important work is finished. Prayer is not an interruption to the work. Prayer is part of the work.

I think about Paul's words in 1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV[1]): "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people." Notice Paul's urgency in the prayer. For Paul, prayer isn't just a nice thing to do when we remember it, when we have time for it, or when we feel like it. Paul doesn't say, "If you happen to have some extra time, you might want to pray." There is urgency in his words. And if I'm being honest, I often lack that kind of urgency in my own prayer life.

It can be really easy for us as Christians to get overwhelmed by our to-do lists and go into "getting things done" mode. We have things to accomplish, and prayer can get pushed aside. We think, "I don't have time to pray. I have things I need to do."

But what am I actually saying when I fall into that way of thinking? I'm saying—whether I mean to or not—that prayer doesn't really get things done. I'm treating prayer as though it is getting in the way of accomplishing the things that matter. I'm implying that prayer is not actually part of the completion of these works. And that could not be further from the scripture’s teaching on prayer.

Prayer is something God uses. God invites us into God's purposes and plans. God chooses to include us in God's work in the world, not because God needs us, but because God loves us.

What Is More Important than Efficiency?  

I think   about this in terms of my grandchildren. I remember a time when I wanted to bake cookies, and my grandchildren were at the house. Now, I am completely capable of baking cookies on my own. Do you think having my grandchildren involved will make the cookies get done faster? Absolutely not. Do you think the cookies are going to turn out better because they're helping? Probably not!

If my only goal were to get the cookies baked as quickly and efficiently as possible, I would be better off doing it myself. So, why do I invite them to help? Because I want a relationship with them. It's not just about the finished cookies. It's about the time we spend together. It's about the conversations we have. It's about letting them be part of something with me. The journey matters just as much as the destination. I think God cares about the journey in much the same way.

If God wants something done, God can do it. God doesn't need you or me to accomplish God's purposes. And yet, in grace, God chooses to include us. God invites us to participate in God's work because God wants to be in relationship with us. God wants us to know God. God wants us to recognize God's presence and become more aware of what God is doing around us. Prayer is one way God gives us that opportunity.

When I think about urgency in prayer, I've noticed that the times when I feel the most urgent about praying are usually the times when I am most aware of my dependence on God. And usually, that happens in a crisis.

When things are going well, I can convince myself that I've got things under control. I can make my plans, work through my list, and keep moving. But when something happens that I can't fix, suddenly I don't have any trouble finding time to pray. Suddenly, prayer doesn't feel like a waste of time. Suddenly, I know exactly where I need to turn.

Some of the most wonderful experiences I have had in prayer have come in those moments when I have recognized my dependence on God. I have experienced the Holy Spirit moving through prayer, through supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving. I've experienced the peace that comes from bringing something to God that I cannot carry on my own.

Those experiences have reminded me that prayer isn't about mastering a technique or finding the perfect words. Prayer is about relationship. It is about coming before God as we are and recognizing that we need God.

Prayer is not something we master and then move past. It is not a spiritual practice for beginners that we eventually outgrow. The more we grow in our relationship with God, the more we recognize our need for God.

So, perhaps the question isn't simply, "Do I pray enough?" Maybe the deeper question is, "Do I believe that prayer is part of what God is doing?"

What would change if we stopped seeing prayer as something we have to squeeze into our schedules and started seeing it as participation in God's work? What if, instead of saying, "I don't have time to pray," we began asking, "What if prayer is part of how God wants me to spend this time?"

An Invitation to Be with God Through Prayer

I want to invite you to try something this week. Set aside a few minutes each day to pray, not just to check prayer off your spiritual to-do list, but because you are responding to God's invitation to be with God.

Bring to God what is on your heart. Pray for the people around you. Ask God to accomplish God's purposes in your family, your church, and your community. Give thanks. Bring your needs honestly before God. Then take a few moments to be quiet and remember that you are in the presence of God.

As you do, consider these questions:

• Where have I been treating prayer as an interruption rather than participation in God's work?
• What does my prayer life reveal about how much I believe I depend on God?
• Where am I tempted to say, "I don't have time to pray"?
• Who is God inviting me to pray for right now?
• What might it look like for prayer to become more central in my daily life?

Prayer is not a waste of time. It is not something we do after the real work is finished. Prayer is one way God invites us into the real work God is already doing. The invitation is open to all of us, not because God needs us to accomplish God's purposes, but because God loves us enough to let us participate in them.

Going Deeper

• Do you want to grow in your prayer life in the year ahead? Check out the Prayer Partner Project. You are invited to form an intentional prayer partnership with another person who may also want to grow where you will be supported through email encouragement and resources.

• Our Prayer Partner Project Toolbox includes a number of prayer resources to support you as you grow in your prayer life year-round.

• Check out “Faith Formation” for more resources to grow as a disciple.

• Interested in forming a Prayer Team at your local congregation? Read more about being a Prayer Team Leader.

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Rev. Dr. Lisa Fox serves as pastor of Reedsville United Methodist Church in the West Virginia Annual Conference and as the Conference Prayer Coordinator. Lisa has been married to her husband, David, for twenty-six years, and together they have four children and five grandchildren who bring great joy to their lives. She is passionate about prayer and loves helping others discover the joy of knowing God, growing in faith, and recognizing God’s presence in the everyday moments of life.