Prayer Without Hope

As Christians we too often overlook the call on our lives to pray earnestly. James 5:16 says; “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” That verse highlights the incredible power in prayer that we too often times forget as well. Prayer, although powerful, is also understood as nothing more than simply speaking with our Lord as if we were simply face to face with Him. There are never more joyful times of prayer that I experience than when I’m simply conversing with the Lord as if He were right next to me. I find the sweetest hours of prayer when I find myself chatting, as if with a dear friend about things that––no one would really be interested in.

The Father desires that we share with Him our deepest concerns and innermost longings. And there is nothing that is more intimate than following those guidelines for prayer. Although prayer is that which is to be done in a loving and intimate manner, it’s also not to be done without the expectancy of His listening ear. James, the half brother of Jesus said in relation to asking God for wisdom;

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
(James 1:5-8 ESV)

Although James speaks of asking the Lord for wisdom, the principle is the same no matter what we’re asking for. If we seek the Lord’s assistance and we believe we’re asking not for our own passions or lusts, we must be asking in faith. Asking in faith means that we are as Richard Sibbes said, “…wait[ing] on hope.” That is, when we seek the Lord, we must not “atheistically” believe that God isn’t there or won’t hear us. The Father delights to hear His children and will not turn away the one who asks Him in patient anticipation.