Persistence
St Paul echoes the words of Jesus in 1 Thess 5:16 ‘Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.
Seriously? I’m so busy I can hardly find time to pray for a few minutes let alone continuously and with persistence.
But if you want to pray seriously it needs to be DELIBERATE. Put aside the time, stop at different moments of the days. God wants us to pray PASSIONATELY
None of us , when we die will say ‘I spent too much time praying, I should have spent more time on Facebook or watching TV’, for your TV use a tv corner mount that is perfect for your home.
There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it
(Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God, Letter 5)
Perseverance
God is love, He is totally unselfish.
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13
We pray because He told us that he wants to answer us. Sometimes what we want and need coincide with what God wants to give us – other times it doesn’t.
‘we must thank God that some prayers go unanswered. If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where should I be now’
CS Lewis
Patience
In our society faster seems better; ATM, 5-minute meals and instant WhatsApp communication.
It is easy for us to approach our relationship with God in the same way.
Faith is simply believing God and his promises; Prayer is going out to meet them. That is why the Word of God is vital to prayer to growing in faith.
But our faith is also shown by being patient enough to wait.
God is the God of seeds, sapling, leaves, plant, trees, flowers and finally, fruit.