“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” - 1 Samuel 1:10
We do our best praying when we get desperate. While facing overwhelming problems, we tend to pray with intensity. We don't need to be motivated to pray when we face dire circumstances. In such moments, we tend to show raw emotions and plead with God with heart and soul.
While most Christians want to be effective in prayer, most of us want to avoid the challenges that keep us at the throne of grace. We grow strong in prayer through the intense problems we face. Desperation deepens our supplication.
In 1 Samuel chapter 1, we find a lady praying. The Bible says that, “... she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” While we tend to show compassion to such a person, we really don't want to be her shoes. Such anguish of soul is something we'd rather not experience. Yet Hannah's desire for a son drove her to prayer. She was not content to repeat a liturgical prayer or utter heartless words to the Lord. She poured out her soul unto the Lord. She prayed with desperation.
Where are the desperate people today? Many claim that they want to lead people to Jesus. They say they want to have spiritual children --- that is, people they have personally brought to the Savior. Yet most are not desperate for such a miracle.
Hannah yearned for a son. Her desire drove her to prayer. For Hannah, going childless was an unbearable possibility.
What about you? Does it bother you to be spiritually childless? Do you long to lead some soul to the Master? Have you made this a matter of prayer? Are you desperate to see some soul saved?
If you are a pastor, do you long to see souls to come to Christ? Do you wish to see the baptismal waters stirred once again? Do you long to see revival?
As a church member, do you have a passion to see God move once more in your church, your community and your family? Are there souls close to you that need the Lord?
I think most of us long to see family members saved, prodigals return, and the local church explode with phenomenal growth. We long to see revival fire spread throughout the community. We yearn to see mass baptisms and hear glowing stories of God's miraculous work among those we love. But are we willing to be like Hannah and cast ourselves before the Lord and weep for such an awakening?
Perhaps our baptistries are dry because our eyes are dry. The Psalmist wrote, “They that sow in tear shall reap in joy.” We want to reap in joy, but few are sowing any tears.
We need to pray with desperation. Unless a miracle occurs, many around us will perish in their sins.
Certainly, there is more to evangelism than prayer. Yet we will fail miserably at winning souls unless we begin in prayer.
We need to have a burden for souls. There needs to be a passion that drives us to our knees. We need to pray until God answers. Keep praying desperately until the breakthrough comes.
I think that most believers would agree that God hears and answers prayer. Yet He seems to reserve certain blessings for those who get desperate and seek His face.
As a child, I recall hearing old-time preachers share about their praying mothers. These old men of God would weep as they preached, remembering how they had a loving mother who wept and prayed for them until God gloriously saved them. Even though their mother was no longer living, they still treasured those memories and thanked God for a praying mother.
Where are the praying mothers today? Where are the praying grandparents? Many need the Lord today. Are we going to be heartless about prayer?
What about you? Will you make the salvation of souls a matter of desperate prayer? The need around us is desperate.
Let's pray with desperation ourselves.
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