Christianity can be weird.
There are some Christian practices that, without any context, can leave you scratching your head or feeling awkward.
One of these practices is prayer.
Look at this example from the Apostle Paul:
“… for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:19-20
He essentially says, “I am confident my life will vindicate my faith and belief in Jesus.” He sounds pretty positive, but he also knows he can’t do it. At least on his own he can’t, and this is where prayer comes in. And it’s not talking about his own prayers either, but the prayers of others!
Prayer is a really hard thing to wrap our brains around. It can feel … weird, right? It can look weird too! It literally looks like you are talking to the air. And does it really do anything? I was reading an article about prayer in different religions recently and the author wrote, “As anyone who has successfully abandoned a regular prayer practice can say, it isn’t hard to get by without it.”
It’s easier not to pray than it is to pray.
But we shouldn’t let that stop us!
Paul is confident that prayer will help him make it through his current circumstances, but not in the way you would normally think. Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, observed:
“Paul does not see prayer as merely a way to get things from God but a way to get more of God himself.”
It’s incredible to think about how God gave us a means to communicate with Him in all circumstances, good or bad. So whether you pray while you are driving, walking between classes, sitting at your office, know that prayer is an active thing. In fact, it’s one of the most active things you can do in your relationship with God.
So prayer, not just for yourself, but for others as well. Do it no matter how weird you may look like talking to the air.