Never Give Up

I prayed about something every single day and it didn't work out the way I wanted.

I was burdened to pray about something.  It was one of those things that I wanted for someone else and it was so good that I couldn't imagine that it would be against the will of God.  In fact, what I prayed for was explicitly commanded in Scripture.  Yet it didn't work out the way I wanted.

So, I quit praying about it.

It was over.

"Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said: 'In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

For some time he refused.  But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'

And the Lord said, 'Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?  Will He keep putting them off?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"  Luke 18:1-8

I gave up on praying because I thought my prayer didn't work the way I wanted.  The thing I prayed about is still the just thing and should be done.  This parable reminded me that I should pray and not give up.  Jesus told His disciples this parable so they would pray and not give up and then asks will He find faith on the earth when He comes.

Does my prayer life demonstrate persevering faith or that of a quitter?  Will I keep praying even when I think getting the answer I desperately want is impossible or will I keep faith in the God of the impossible?

I'm not quitting. 

One of my neighbors is a sweet Christian woman who prayed for decades that her son would come to faith in Jesus.  He seemed to many like a lost cause she said.  She has said that she would quit praying for him and then start again over the years.  Persistence often is not simply keeping going, but having the humility and courage to restart.  Long story short, after years and years of praying he did come to believe in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and she saw the impact of her persistent prayers.

I want that kind of a story.  I want to see my not giving up be part of God's work.  Do I know for sure that my prayers will work the way I want it to work?  No, I don't.  However, I am convinced that the burden to pray for this request is from the Holy Spirit and I am convinced that when Jesus said we should pray and not give up that He meant what He said. 

So, I am going to keep praying.

Is there a prayer you need to keep praying for yourself, for a loved one, for your community, for your nation, or for the world?  Have you given up like I did and need to pick up that prayer burden again?  If so, my prayer tonight is that you and I would pray and not give up starting today.