“Prayer changes things” has been one of the more popular phrases tossed around in Christian circles for a long time. However, the problem is just that – it is “tossed around” without any real thought given to what the phrase implies.
We all know stories of someone who has earnestly pleaded for God to change a situation in which they found themselves. Perhaps even you have a compelling story or two to tell. Let's assume that the following scenarios describe true believers in, and followers of, Jesus Christ - individuals who are committed to God and to His church.
A parent prays that their child will survive the surgery, and he does.
We all know stories of someone who has earnestly pleaded for God to change a situation in which they found themselves. Perhaps even you have a compelling story or two to tell. Let's assume that the following scenarios describe true believers in, and followers of, Jesus Christ - individuals who are committed to God and to His church.
A parent prays that their child will survive the surgery, and he does.
A family prays that their home will be spared from the ravages of a hurricane, and it is.
A faithful saint prays to be healed of some chronic ailment or disease, and it happens.
A family prays that they will have all the money they need to pay their bills this month, and they do.
A believing wife prays for the salvation of her husband, and, in time, the man is saved.
Prayer changes things. Right? To be sure, we all know stories of people who prayed for God to change something, and He did. But isn’t it also true that we know of perhaps even more cases in which someone prayed for God to change something, but He didn't. Again, let us assume that the following scenarios describe true believers in, and followers of, Jesus Christ - individuals who are committed to God and to His church.
A parent prays that their child will survive the surgery, but he doesn't.
A family prays that their home will be spared from the ravages of a hurricane, but it isn't.
A faithful saint prays to be healed of some chronic ailment or disease, but it doesn’t happen.
A family prays that they will have all the money they need to pay their bills this month, but they still end up short.
A believing wife prays for the salvation of her husband, but the man leaves this world without knowing Christ?
Prayer changes things. Right? Let’s bring that question to bear on a situation from the life of the Apostle Paul.
“So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12.7-10, ESV).
Is it true that prayer changes things? Well, obviously not for the Apostle Paul. Scholars have differed throughout history concerning what specifically the “thorn” was to which Paul referred in this passage. Though I personally believe it at least involved some physical ailment or limitation that Paul viewed as a hindrance to his ministry, it frankly doesn’t matter what it was. Whatever it was, it was significant enough for Paul to plead with the Lord on three different occasions to take it away. Now if prayer changes things, should not faithful Paul have experienced the removal of his thorn? The truth is, however, that prayer did not change this thing in Paul’s life.
Frankly, prayer doesn’t change anything – God changes things. At the same time, however, God in His sovereign freedom does not always choose to change the thing we have prayed about. What I believe God will do, however, is change us. I would like for you to consider taking a phrase out of your vocabulary and replacing it with a new one.
OUT: Prayer changes things.
IN: Through prayer, God changes me in the things.
I believe this is precisely what happened in Paul’s life. Prayer did not change the thing, but through prayer, God did change Paul in the thing. But how did bringing this need before the Lord and the Lord’s response change Paul? We’ll look at that in our next post.
