Celebrating That We Are Heard

James 5:16b

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 

You have probably been told to train hard and then to let race day be a celebration of that training. This is great advice for runners. After you have trained diligently for months, you should indeed go into the race experience with confidence and expectation. You should not focus on the “what ifs” but instead count on what you have done and look for the results. On race day, there should be no doubts or lack of certainty.

Our lives as believers can be the same. If you have prayed about something, you should not only assume that God has heard, but you should begin to celebrate that God is working on your behalf. If you pour out your heart with the needs of the day, you should trust that God will give according to His perfect will. After all, God invites and encourages us to come before Him with our needs. He reminds us that He is more than able to supply everything we need to glorify Him. He even tells us in our text today from the book of James that our prayers are powerful and effective.

So when you have finished praying and reading the Bible, what comes next? Do you face the future with celebration, knowing that He who is trustworthy and faithful has heard your prayer and will take care of you? Or do you look instead to the mountain of trouble that lies ahead. Do you look to the One who will see you through or do you focus on the “what ifs” of the race? Do you believe that no one has heard your prayer or do you believe that your prayer is powerful and effective?

Our God is amazing that He is always ready and available for us and tells us that our prayers to him are effective. Let’s pray for faith and trust in that promise. Then let’s face the future as a celebration knowing that God never forsakes His children and always keeps His promises.

Lord, You tell us that our prayers to You are powerful and effective because we are righteous through Jesus’ sacrifice. Help us to remember this promise and to trust in You. Help us to live our lives each day as a joyful celebration that You are in control. In Jesus’ trustworthy name we pray, AMEN.