Prayer is an act of faith. Here are some of my favorite Bible verses to reflect on during the hard seasons of your life.
Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
-Mark 11:24
If you pray, you must believe there is a God. If not, why would you pray? Believing God exists is the most basic form of faith. Therefore, if you believe there is a God, and you are praying to God regardless of your circumstances, you have faith.
“Don’t be anxious, Pray with Faith. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 4:6–7
When we pray, we are not only doing it in faith but building our faith by doing it. The Bible says that God will grant you what you ask for in prayer once you believe He will. When you get on your knees and ask God for a miracle, you believe He is there and can do it. Even if you try to convince yourself that there is no god while you are praying, you are still asking in faith.
Saint Augustine said, “Faith is to believe what you do not see. The reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”
As a result, prayer must be an act of faith. Prayer keeps faith alive. I know what you are thinking, what happens when you pray in faith and your miracle doesn’t happen? We all love to hear stories about when God shows up when the miracle happens, and the outcome is happy and heartfelt. But what happens when our situation and the miracle we are praying for isn’t the will of God?
The Bible is full of miraculous acts: stories about the seas parting, loaves and fish feeding thousands, Jesus walking on water, water being turned into wine, and the dead rising in Christ.
But it’s also full of times when God worked differently:
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, David committed adultery and learned the hard way, and Job continued to praise God while suffering continued; Esther chose faith over fear and saved a nation. Jesus prayed to God to spare His life before He was crucified, but the last words of His prayer were “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”
That’s what all this boils down to. Of course, we pray for healing and to make it through our storm. Yes, we seek second opinions and use all the resources for our desired outcome. When we believe with everything we have that God will answer our prayers for a miracle, but the cornerstone of your faith boils down to “not my will, but thine be done.”
The same can be true for you! God’s miracle for you may be carrying on with happiness in sorrow, knowing that God is still in control and working through your weakness to show you his strength. Maybe one day you will get the “big miracle” that you prayed for, but until then, remember the outcome of your storm is in His hands as are all the tiny miracles along the way. Don’t let not getting your big miracle blind you for recognizing His goodness and the tiny miracles that happen along the way. Your request may not always be the will of God.
