5. God's Reward for Prayer
Dear Jim,
In your previous letter, you mentioned that even though you feel as though you have the grace to pray, you struggle to set aside time for prayer because you feel like you have so much else to do. It is natural for us to initially resist when we are invited to a new spiritual practice, for we all at first instinctively resist a new invitation. However, just because this is your initial reaction does not necessarily mean that continuing in resistance is good or wise. A new and unexpected direction is not always dangerous or sinister, so if we trust the one who is pulling our hand then we should allow them to lead us. Sometimes we overcome our resistance alone or in prayer, and other times we need to discuss it with someone else.
As for other things you could be doing with your time, what more worthwhile investment is there? You could invest your time in your health, in your wealth, in your relationships, or in your hobbies, but nothing is guaranteed in life except that it is unpredictable. These investments may or may not yield rewards. God says in Isaiah that he is the only rock, there is no other (Is 44:8), this means that God is the only thing we can count on, and his rewards are the only sure kind of rewards. So when Jesus says that God rewards prayer (Mt 6:6), we can rest assured that there is a guaranteed reward. If we are given an opportunity to invest, is there any greater wisdom than to take advantage of it? I would suggest you continue to ask God what he is inviting you to invest in personal prayer, and ask for the grace to make that investment.
I have found that God’s reward in prayer is often similar to what he said to Abraham: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1 NIV). God himself is the reward; when we spend time with God, he rewards us with a closer relationship with him. In turn, this relationship increases our capacity for intimacy and love, which increases our joy. It is even possible that we will carry this capacity into eternity, and that when Jesus speaks about eternal rewards he is pointing us towards a greater capacity for intimacy that allows us to enjoy God more deeply in Heaven.
Investing in prayer deepens our friendship with God. Having the prayer life he wants for us helps to align the rest of our lives with his desires for us. This may take some time, but it is inevitable. All of us want God’s will for our lives as much as possible, and people who have significant prayer lives report more of a sense of their lives being led by God. Prayer also deepens and grows their faith as they see God answering prayers on a more regular basis. They tend to find healing for deep hurts, and if not, then a sense of those wounds being transformed somehow for good in their lives and the lives of others. Finally they develop more of a sense of self, growing in the truth of who they are, a grounding in the identity that God has given them. It is my desire that you experience all of these things and more, Jim. I hope I haven’t oversold it, but it is hard to accurately describe how life transforming this will be for you.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:
How are you aware of resisting God’s invitation to prayer? Take a few minutes to talk to him about it and to ask for his help. If you need to talk to someone ask him to guide you to them.
What are the guarantees that you expect out of life? Make a list of what are you investing in that has a sure guarantee of positive returns? Where is personal prayer on that list?
What have you noticed so far in your life or the lives of others you know about some of the possible rewards of prayer? Have you noticed an increase in faith? In connecting with God? In knowing his will? Have you noticed increased maturity? Increased sense of identity? More fruitful ministry? Personal healing? What about more of God’s will in your life? To what extent do you want more of these things?
