Paying The Price Of Answered Prayer

In our prayers, we usually pray about what weighs the heaviest on our heart (Matthew 26:36-44). Our finite minds can never predict what is in the infinite mind of God. However, we can eliminate many prayer requests which we know to be unworthy (James 4:3).

Earnest prayer sets in motion forces which are far beyond our understanding and comprehension (James 5:17-18; cf. 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:42,45). Through prayer, we may bring about things which would not otherwise be possible (Matthew 17:14-21).

The story is told of a preacher who prayed for the Lord to send someone from the church he was a member of to act as a missionary in a foreign land. However, when he found out that his daughter wanted to become a missionary alongside her husband, he placed every obstacle in her way to prevent her from becoming one.

Another aspect of prayer that we need to seriously think about, is that we must be willing to pay the price of having our prayers answered (Judges 11).

Sometimes, the price may simply be too much to pay.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets