please pray

[Chrysostom]

You bring your silent requests to the Lord, and He knows every hidden thought. But examine what you ask. Do your petitions seek His honor, or merely the satisfaction of your own desires? For He created you when you were not, breathed into you a living soul, and crowned you with glory and honor. Should you not then honor Him by deeds, not words alone? He needs nothing from us, but we need everything from Him.

Let your silent prayers be for mercy and a life pleasing to God. He wills not the death of the sinner, but that all should turn and live. So pray for the strength to master your passions: the love of money, vainglory, anger, drunkenness, and every lust. The one who controls these is more royal than any king in purple. And do not be anxious about the world’s end or the faults of others; make your own end good, and you have nothing to fear.

Above all, imitate your heavenly Father. He feeds the adulterer, the sorcerer, and every kind of sinner, yet none perish except by their own choice. Be merciful as He is merciful. If someone is in need, help them. When you pray, let your life itself become a prayer, honoring Him who first honored you. Speak your requests with trust, but let them always echo: “Thy will be done.”

 

[Silas]

God hears the silent cry just as clearly as the shouted plea. There is no request hidden from Him, no burden you carry that He does not already see and know. You are not informing the Lord of something He has missed. Your Father knows what you have need of before you ever speak it. That silent place between you and God is often the most honest prayer you will ever offer.

Sometimes the heaviest weights we bear are not the ones the Lord has placed on us. We take on demands God never made, or others lay their problems across our shoulders until we feel crushed. But His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If what you are carrying is driving you toward despair rather than drawing you into trust, it is worth asking whether that weight is truly from Him. He does not pile on burdens to break you. He invites you to cast them all on Him, because He cares for you.

When you bring those silent requests, do not limit God by telling Him exactly how He must answer. He may want to provide in a way you have not imagined, something far beyond the narrow boundaries you would draw. He becomes to you whatever your need might be. Do you need peace? He is your peace. Do you need healing? He is your healer. Do you need deliverance? He is your Savior.

What time you are afraid, you can put your trust in Him. You can praise His word even before you see the outcome. David’s prayers often began with anguish, but they moved toward confidence and praise. Let your own prayers lead you there. Place the matter in God’s hands with a settled trust. It will be all right. He will take care of it. And your heart, which now may feel sore pain, will yet give thanks to Him forever.