Thursday, May 22, 2008

Can prayer reduce suffering?

At its best, prayer is a conversation. Can a conversation, even with God, reduce life's sufferings?

Moses suffered so intensely that he prayed, "What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people?... the burden is too heavy... put me to death right now..." (Numbers 11:10-15 NIV.)

The Lord solved that one by appointing seventy elders to lessen the burden on Moses.


And when Elijah suffered to the breaking point he prayed, "I have had enough, LORD. Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors." (1 Kings 19:4 NIV.)

God released him from the suffering by releasing him from his duties; he was to anoint Jehu as king over Israel and Elisha as the new prophet to succeed Elijah. (I try to remember that one when I'm in a complaining mood.)

I could show you several other cases where God reduced someone's suffering, in answer to prayer, by changing their situation.

But then there's that other answer we often dread.

After his surpassing revelations, the Apostle Paul endured such harassment by an "aggelos
Satanas" - a Satanic angel - that he prayed to have it (or him) removed.

But the Lord's now-famous answer was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV.)

Not exactly what Paul had in mind, probably. But sometimes God answers with "I'll give you strength" rather than "I'll get you out of this".

Jesus knows how this works. He suffered so intensely in Gethsemane that he said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." (Matthew 26:38 NIV.) He operated at the limits of what his human frame could tolerate.

So his Father sent an angel from heaven to strengthen him... "And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." (Luke 22:44 NIV.)

His prayers were laced with loud cries and tears, as he groaned to the "one who could save him from (out of) death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:7 NIV.)

The point? That sometimes, when you intensely pray, you can get both answers.

Jesus got both the temporary relief and the long-term reward. His prayers brought a strengthening angel, but also saved him out of death - even his resurrection was an answer to prayer!

So keep on praying, even in the garden of suffering.

And pray for my friend, John Dobbs, who just lost his son, John Robert, in an accident. God will give strength, but he will also resurrect... and reunite.

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