The Impact of a Child's Prayer

Recently, I heard an adorable young child pray several times over the course of a few days. The prayer always went something like this…

“ Thank you for this day, help us to have a good day today, help us to have a good night’s sleep, help tomorrow to be good, help everyone be safe, help church to be good, Amen.”

I couldn’t help but hope that as this child gets older that they will be a little more concerned about “others” in their prayer and not so focused on their own desires. I was immediately convicted as I thought about my own prayer life. So often my prayers are self-centered, self-focused and self-deserving.  I come to God with my list of the things that I want for my life. Is it any wonder? I live in a very self-centered, self-deserving world. My generation wants it all, is working to have it all, and blames someone else when they don’t have it all.   So often we’ve reduced our prayer life to a visit with Santa Claus with a mind-set that God is just waiting to hear what kind of new car we want , the new job we'd like, kids not to be sick, money for a vacation, an easy day at work, etc. I definitely believe that we should bring our needs and our desires to the Father. But, it should be in balance. Our own desires and wants should not be preeminent in our life.

I’ve been challenged lately to focus on praying that my life will bring glory to God. Not to just say it, but to mean it from my heart. To pray that my life will bring glory to God today - in the busyness of my day, in my conversations, through Divine appointments, in my phone conversations, the people that I meet. That as  I’m living out my life today that I yield my life to him in my attitude, my actions, my desires and my dreams.  If providing my needs brings Him glory, then so be it. If struggling, hurting, being sick, or having a hard day brings Him glory, then give me the grace to endure it and let Him be glorified in my suffering.  I bring my petitions before the Father; lay out my desires and my dreams, putting all of it in His hands so that He might be glorified.  “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:” Galatians 2:20.

Jesus told us how we ought to pray in Matthew 6:9-13:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

I see balance in this prayer. My daily needs are just one aspect in the midst of honoring and praising the Father, desiring His will to be done in this old nasty world as well as praying about my spiritual being and my testimony that He would receive glory from my life.

What does your prayer life look like? Like me, do you find that you are more concerned about what you think you need rather than desiring His will? How would our prayers be different if we approached the throne with the sincere desire for God to be glorified in our lives? Would it change how we act? Would we see people differently? Would we be kinder, more compassionate, and more patient?

My four daughters make for a very interesting life. There is never a dull moment in our home. I cherish the moments when everyone is happy, loving one another and getting along. However, these moments are more seldom than I would like to admit. The reason: they each usually have their own agenda - a plan or a desire that does not fit into the rest of the family’s schedule or budget. Result: Not a very happy child. My response: “This is not all about you. You are not the only one in this family. There are six people here and we cannot always make you happy.” Of course, as a parent, I would love to make all of my children happy. I would love to give them everything that they want, but I can’t and it would not be good for them anyway. We all know that it would create a spoiled, self-centered brat that no one would ever want to be around. I can’t help but wonder how often we come to God with all that we “want” (like a spoiled, self-centered brat) and He says to us, “This is not all about you. There is a whole world out there that needs to see my glory. “

My prayer today is that God will be glorified in my life so that the whole world will know. I will still pray for my sick friends, for financial needs, protection, blessings, etc. But, I will do my best to balance my prayer with praise, honor and adoration; and ultimately desire that He be glorified.