by Randy Heacock
I recently began physical therapy to improve my balance. For the past several years, so-called friends and family have suggested that my walk does not look natural. Though I do not feel any pain when I walk, some have remarked that it is painful to watch. On my initial visit, my therapist said my gate is “different”. Slowly, over 62 years, my adjusting for pain has caused me to walk in a less-than-healthy way.
I have been wondering if my prayer is also lacking balance. Like walking, has my prayer life been adjusted by and directed by pain? A bulk of our prayers seems to be need-driven. If a loved one experiences suffering, we ask God to give healing. If we are facing a challenging circumstance, we ask for wisdom or strength. The many prayer requests that fill our bulletins seem to be driven by need.
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As an example, southeastern PA has not had much significant rainfall in the past few weeks, causing very dry conditions. I would imagine that some of us have prayed for rain. In 2 Chronicles 7, God declares, “At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls … Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (vss. 13-14, NLT). I cannot recall the last time I heard someone suggest this formula for prayer. I cannot ever remember seeing this type of request on a prayer chain.
As I continued with physical therapy, I did stretches, a few weights, and eventually some balance exercises. In the end I went from being able to balance on one leg for 2.5 seconds to consistently more than 30 seconds in six weeks.
I believe changing my prayer balance will take much longer. But there are a few things that I have already discovered. To my surprise, the biblical witness has a much greater view and practice of prayer than the need-driven approach that seems so common in our churches.
In Ephesians 3, Paul tells his audience of the many wonderful ways he prays for them so that they may be filled with the fullness of God. Surprised, I discovered our need-based approach to prayer is short-sighted in what we wish to see accomplished. Being filled with the fullness of God is to be filled with the God who in creation created life out of nothing and who in Jesus gave life in the midst of death. Praying out of need sets the bar too low for what God wants to do.
To my surprise, the biblical witness has a much greater view and practice of prayer than the need-driven approach that seems so common in our churches.
How is your prayer balance? Why settle for anything less than being filled with the fullness of God?
The opinions expressed in this content are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference.
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Randy Heacock
Randy Heacock serves as a Leadership Minister for Mosaic Conference while continuing in his role as pastor of Doylestown Mennonite Church.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.