Week 8 — Friday: Perseverance In Prayer

Matthew 7:7-11 

My dad lived a life of intentional, focused passion for God. His main goal was to inspire people to develop a deep and satisfying relationship with their Heavenly Father through prayer. He accomplished this goal with me. 

My most cherished memories during the last ten years of his life were our times together on Sunday afternoons as we approached the Throne with an open Bible and a list of needs. We learned to pray effectively using scripture. God seemed completely willing to answer these requests. 

One specific practice I learned from Dad is to persist in prayer. He shared how people give up too soon because they expect God to answer in their timeframe and process and end up abandoning their faith simply because God seemed uncaring and unaffected by their prayers. 

God rarely answers in an immediate spectacular manifestation of power. He typically answers gradually, working through our petitions, unfolding His will one step at a time. We may receive a portion one day and another the following day. Each prayer and each answer builds on the other. This is how God teaches us dependency and intimacy as we see Him work in the little and big issues throughout life. 

We also experienced firsthand the importance of praying in community, especially in times of crisis. The faith of an individual may be too fragile to handle their overwhelming need, and more persistent prayer may be required by other believers supporting them. During these times, God uses our collective faith as we ask and keep asking, seek and keep seeking, and knock and keep knocking together. Our unity in prayer delights God, and His response brings us joy. 

—CONTRIBUTED BY COLLEEN FRAIOLI —

*Comments will be posted once approved by a moderator.