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Wrestling in Prayer

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t come to the knowledge or practice of prayer easily. I suppose if you grew up with a good clear example it could have been easier.

And so the term ‘wrestling’ in prayer has many meanings for me. Firstly, I tried to understand the need, purpose and method of prayer. If ‘God is God’ then why does He even want or need my prayers? This wrestling was dissipated when I understood that, simply put, ‘We cannot work without God and God chooses not to work without us’. So prayer is a partnership that God invites us into.

Secondly, Psalm 66:18 helped me wrangle myself into the right posture to pray. It says, ‘If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened’. I therefore could not just turn up unprepared and then read a list of requests for God to fulfill. I had learnt to come to God on His terms, for His agenda, not for mine.

Finally, the final wrestle is more than a fight. Someone once wrote that an apt description of the ‘waiting on God’ aspect of prayer is more like being entwined with Him in conversation and relationship.

I’m convinced that there is no single ‘right’ way to pray if your intention is to seek God. Why not go ahead and find your sweet spot of prayer that pleases God and engages your soul?

Written by JOHN SCOTT