Prayer is More than Help

One thing I know about prayer is I can do it anytime or place. In the midst of adversity, sorrow or failure, I can cry out, “Lord, save me!” like Peter did when he tried to walk on water and found himself sinking (Matthew 14:30). Peter knew Jesus was the only one who could save him.
Many years ago, I found myself back in prison for the third time with nowhere to turn. Like Peter, I cried out to God: “Lord, save me!”
I knew God was the only one who could save me, not just from my circumstances, but from a fate worse than a prison cell - an eternal abyss.
Adversity comes every day in prison. Days come when I feel so weak and alone that I want to give up. I don’t believe I can endure it anymore. The sting of loneliness drives me to my knees and I cry, “Help me, Lord!”
And He does; not because I deserve it, but because of Jesus. God loves me because His Son died for me. No one stands as tall as a Christian on his knees praying to his heavenly Father.
Prayer gives me more than help in my times of need. It gives me more than the answers I want, more than the peace I don’t understand. It gives me God Himself, the sole end of prayer, of existence itself. My soul yearns for the God who created me, the God who loves me more than I love myself.
When I am praying, I am fulfilling my greatest need. No other need can compare to my need for God.
Prayer is the voice of faith, and without faith it is impossible to know God. When I commune with God, something happens that words can’t adequately explain. Deep down inside, I have assurance that my future is in the hands of someone who loves me unconditionally. I don’t have to hide anything from Him. He knows it all and He still loves me. I can open my heart to Him and tell Him everything and anything. He understands me better than I understand myself, and He always wants what is best for me.
I can ask for His forgiveness over and over again, knowing that He places my sins as far as the east is from the west. No matter how many times I let Him down He never gives up on me. He is always there with open arms. He is the best friend I have in the world. He is a friend that loves at all times.
Sometimes I get an answer to my prayers I don’t understand. It is not the answer I wanted. Peter’s words to the believers in his day remind me that God can bless me through trials: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12).
A lot of times, God is silent. He says or does nothing as far as I can discern. But in reality, I believe no prayer goes unanswered. I may not see or understand the answer, because God’s wisdom and knowledge are far greater than mine. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).
We often wish we could escape troubles - the pain of grief, loss, sorrow and failure, or even the monotony of life that constantly wears us down. He can find a way to keep us from the pain if He wants to; but, maybe God wants us to need Him more than we need the pain to be taken away.
God promises that “His ears are open to our cry” (Psalm 34:15). No matter how few words we say, He hears and knows exactly what we need.
He is our strength and He gives us courage and wisdom to deal with all the problems we face. Can anything happen to us that did not go through Him first? We need God’s help but first we need to thank Him for being there by our side.