Tension in Praying

People in general tend to gravitate to all-or-nothing approaches. We are either not doing the thing or doing it the very best way possible.

When this mindset leaks into our prayer time, our prayers start to get unbalanced. What I mean by this is that there are many opposing focuses of prayers that need to be counterbalanced by their counterpoints.

Prayer isn't a gauge that we are trying to max out, but rather it's a tetter-totter of seemingly opposites tendencies that we are trying to balance. Another analogy is prayer is a guitar string. We need fixed points at both ends to be able to play a note. If we just have one end fixed, we just have a wire.

So in these examples that follow, in the contrasting focal points listed, one isn't better or worse. We need both in our prayers. To neglect one is to lose this necessary tension in prayer and to become unbalanced in our focus. Most likely one of each set might come more naturally for us, but we need to practice and strengthen the areas we are weak in, as we continue to work on our strengths as well.

Prayer is talking to God, but prayer is also listening to God. We need to do both to fully pray. So tell God what's on your heart, but also listen to what's on His heart.

We need to pray about local needs and concerns, but we also need to pray about global needs and concerns. So pray about your local elections, but also pray about the global refugee crisis.

We can pray small prayers for the little things that matter to us, but we also need to pray big prayers for virtues & events that won't be easily realized in our present world. So pray that you can remember where your car keys are, but also pray for unity in the church and recovery from natural disasters. 

We need to pray prayers of thanksgiving & praise, but we also need to pray prayers of lament and brokenness over the result of sin and selfishness in our world. So praise God for the good in the world that comes from Him, but also mourn over the needless violence & death that tear apart families and lives.

Supplications, or interceding on others' behalf is a part of prayer, but we also need petitions for ourselves as well. So pray for those around you, but also remember to lift up your needs and requests.

We can pray for physical prayer requests, but we also need to pray for spiritual matters. So pray for healing & victims of disasters, but also pray for their souls.

There are examples of biblical prayers for safety and protection, but there are also biblical prayers for boldness and effectiveness in sharing the Gospel as we let our lights shine to glorify God. So pray for travelling mercies, but also pray that we represent Christ well on our trip and we allow for divine delays.

Prayers can be highly specific, but they can also be vague. So pray as specifically as one can (using discretion to avoid oversharing someone's story), but also pray vaguely when necessary, trusting that God knows the situations far better than we do.

Prayer is asking God for the solutions we think should happen, but prayer is also surrendering the decisions and outcomes over to God. So ask God for the outcome you think should happen, but also yield your preferences and will over to God.

We should pray for the persecuted and for victims of crimes, but we should also pray for their persecutors and perpetrators. So pray for endurance, faithfulness, boldness, and discernment for the persecuted, but also pray for the salvation and repentance of their persecutors. Pray for physical and emotional healing from violent acts, but also pray for justice, repentance, and salvation for their perpetrators.

We are called to pray for our leaders, but we are also to pray for those on the margins of society without advocates and defenders. So pray for our president, but also pray for orphans, widows, and strangers.

Do you see the tensions here? Each prayer is correct, good, and biblical, but if we focus too much on one end, while neglecting the other end, we become unbalanced because we aren't camping out in the middle of the tension of these prayers. 

So which areas of prayer do we need to be sure to incorporate this week?