Digging Deeper – November 27, 2023
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray…
James 5:13a (NLT)
THE POWER OF PRAYER
Have you prayed about it? Likely you have heard that remark from a well-intentioned friend after laying your heart bare. The straight-forwardness of it almost offends the sensibilities, although the answer is almost always a resounding “no.” And yet James – speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – boldly entreats us to consider this most basic principle: pray about it.
The truth of the matter is that we often get so distracted by the pain of affliction that we forget where our strength comes from. But worrying about it is just a form of praying to ourselves. We were not meant to become resigned to the hardships of living the Christian life. In Psalm 50:15, the Lord tells us; “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Calling upon him is, in essence, the business of prayer. Therefore, if you are suffering hardships, you should pray. He is able to deliver you and in doing so you will bring glory to His name.
Take a moment today to reflect these words of James 5:13. Consider the hardships that you are facing and ask yourself whether you have submitted them to the Lord in prayer, who hears and cares. The apostle Peter, who walked with Jesus, would put it like this: “Cast all of your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” The question is: have you prayed about it?
Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.