Pray with Purpose

John 17

Every year around my birthday, I know I’m going to get the same question from multiple people: “What do you want?” I used to answer: “I don’t know. You can get me whatever!” In the past few years, though, I’ve started making a list. Honestly, it felt selfish at first to make a list of things I wanted for my birthday. But if I’m going to be getting gifts anyway, they might as well be things that I want, right? 

Many of us approach prayer the way I used to approach my birthday. We pray for our food, our health, and traveling mercies—whatever that is. But we don’t take the time to think about and even keep track of specific things we’re praying for. Now, does God know what we need even before we ask? Absolutely. Matthew 6 tells us that exact truth. But, Jesus set a great example in John 17 of what it looks like to pray with purpose. 

Jesus prays for three main things in John 17:

1. For Himself to be glorified

2. For His disciples to be protected and sanctified 

3. For all believers to be unified as one 

I’m sure Jesus had given some thought to these prayer requests before this moment. He prayed with intentionality. He prayed with specificity. He prayed with purpose . . . and we are called to do the same. 

Be intentional with your prayer life! Don’t fall into the trap of pretty much praying for the same things every single time you go to the Lord because it’s become a routine. Now, don’t get me wrong . . . if there’s a specific thing you are praying for (miraculous healing, breakthrough in an area of your life, the salvation of a friend or relative, etc.), then pray constantly, daily, as often as needed. That’s actually an example of praying with purpose!

But when your prayers become a daily routine that almost starts to sound like a mantra or a script, you’re in dangerous territory; you’re in Matthew 6 Pharisee territory, which we discussed a few days ago. The main thing I’m trying to get across here is that we need to be intentional, purposeful, and real in the time we’re spending with our Father; we need to make the most of that time. 

Take some time to make a list on your phone—or in a journal if you’re the kind of person who still likes to hand write important stuff—of things you want to pray for. Your family, your friends, burdens that are on your heart, etc. Then, commit to praying for those things, no matter how big or small they may seem!