Stairsteps to Answered Prayers

Book excerpt: God presents Himself in the Bible as being open and interested in hearing whatever concerns His children (James 5:13; 1 Pet. 5:7). He wants to hear whatever interests us, even the smallest, most insignificant details of our lives. Consequently, we should feel free to unburden our hearts and tell God anything and everything. He is, after all, the friend who sticks closer than a brother. Why do we not feel at liberty to converse with Him just as casually and comfortably as we would with our most intimate acquaintance? To address this important phenomenon of talking to God, I felt the leading of the Lord to confront the matter of getting answers to our prayers. Unless you are a Pharisee standing in the marketplace, no one prays just to hear himself praying or to receive glory from man. No one prays not to receive a response. No one asks, not expecting to receive. Rather, prayers are prayed to be acknowledged and answered. Especially prayers without ceasing are made for responses, acknowledgment, and answers, without ceasing. Time and maturity have taught me that to pray without ceasing basically refers to recurring prayer, not nonstop talking. Thus, it is to be our way of life, as we should be continually in an attitude of prayer.