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In A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World, author Paul Miller offers six cures for cynicism in prayer. One is to “cultivate a childlike spirit”: “Cry out for grace like a hungry child. As soon as I begin simply asking for help, I have become like a little child again. I’ve stopped becoming cynical. Oddly enough, my prayer is answered almost immediately because in the act of praying I’ve become like a child. . . . Instead of critiquing others’ stories, watch the story our Father is weaving.” He goes on to identify a childlike spirit as one that interprets life through the lens of Psalm 23 and our Good Shepherd’s care for us.
In the life of the believer, answered prayer is a source of joy. Formally, Psalm 20 is a prayer of the king on the eve of battle, but more generally we can understand it as a petition that prayers for help to be answered. Like David, we can pray for God’s name to protect us, for Him to grant us support, for Him to remember our worship and come to our aid, and for Him to give us the desires of our heart and make our plans succeed (vv. 1-5; cf. Ps. 37:4). The assumption is that God is great, we are in distress, we need His help, and that He will give it. When He does so—given the occasion, the picture is of a battle won and victory banners raised—we will shout for joy!
When it comes to war, some trust in horses, chariots, military armaments, and the size of the army. Humanly speaking, victory depends on abilities and resources. But we don’t put our faith in such things. We trust in the Lord, who is sure to answer our prayers and save us. In the end, those who trust in chariots and horses end up on their knees, defeated and humbled, while we “rise up and stand firm” (vv. 6-9). The joy of answered prayer is joy in God’s power and love.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There are many good books available at bookstores or online to assist us with the spiritual discipline of prayer. One is the recent release mentioned in today’s devotion, A Praying Life by Paul Miller. Other excellent resources include A Journey to Victorious Praying: Finding Discipline and Delight in Your Prayer Life by Bill Thrasher, and Hearing God’s Voice by Henry and Richard Blackaby. Those with a more historical bent might prefer The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.
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