Treasuring Prayer

By Abby Mackie, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Scripture Reading

• Psalm 18:6
• Hebrews 5:7
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I am a doer and a fixer. If there is a problem or a situation that needs to be taken care of, my mind runs with a torrent of scenarios. At best, how to help the situation get better and, at worst, how the situation can spiral out of control. I instinctively want to find the solution. 

My husband, Brian, and I are expecting our first child at the beginning of December. So, by the time you are reading this, our little guy will be here! There were several projects we wanted to get done before he arrived, which included getting rid of mold that had grown in our bathroom. My husband had taken on this task. However, consistent with my controlling nature, I had a hard time letting go and allowing Brian to take care of it. I didn’t hear the phone calls or the plans he had made to fix the problem. Therefore, I was anxious it wasn’t going to happen. I also started to feel myself getting annoyed with my husband, thinking that he didn’t consider getting rid of the mold a priority and that he was letting other things come before it. I was getting really worked up and asked probably more aggressively than was appropriate if anyone was going to fix the mold issue. He calmly replied (bless him) that it was going to get fixed that Friday. I immediately felt guilty. Brian had been working on it the whole time while I had been building up a false narrative in my head.

How often can we do that with God? We offer up prayers to God and then we hear what seems like radio silence. Whether they are small prayers of getting rid of mold in the bathroom or bigger life prayers for a spouse or children, frustration can build and our hearts can get hardened or disillusioned towards God. We never will know all the work God is doing in the background or how He is protecting us. We think the silence is merely God not listening. However, don’t you have to be silent to be able to listen? Just a thought. God is listening. 

“In my distress I called to the Lord;

I cried to my God for help.

From his temple he heard my voice;

my cry came before him, into his ears.”

Psalm 18:6 (NIV)

One scripture on prayer I have really wrestled with is Hebrews 5:7 (NIV): 

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”

Jesus poured out his heart to God many times throughout the course of his life. One of the most famous times was in the Garden of Gethsemane where he begged God to find another way to save mankind that wouldn’t involve him suffering a brutal death on the cross. It would be easy, as a bystander, to see God’s silence as cruel. God could have saved him from death but didn’t. God could have said something but didn’t. But through God’s silence and Jesus’ reverent submission to death came the greatest miracle this world has ever known. I erroneously sometimes think that God’s silence to me in a difficult time is a sign of His apathy. However, that isn’t what I see when looking at God’s silence with Jesus. I see God allowing Jesus the opportunity to surrender and trust who he knew God to be. Jesus knew that God had a plan. He knew God loved him. And he knew that God was faithful. When we pray and hear silence from God, let us reflect on and embrace the true character of God and remember that He is always listening to us. 

The holidays might be a really difficult time for you. Loss and complicated situations can make this time of year full of mixed and sometimes heavy emotions. The stress of travel, commitments and finances can weigh you down during this season. If any of this resonates, I would love to encourage you with this. God hears you. He is listening. Just because you may not hear an immediate reply doesn’t mean He doesn’t care. It might just mean He IS listening and He IS working out something in your heart that is much greater than you can see at this moment. Keep praying! Prayer allows us to be able to pour ourselves out to God and allows Him to sift through all our messy thoughts and emotions. 

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Questions for Reflection

1. What is my response when I hear silence from God?

2. How does what I believe about the character of God affect my prayer life?

3. What are the things in my life I can give to God in prayer this holiday season?

Today I will

Spend some extra time in prayer today. As you pray, visualize God sitting next to you and listening to every word you pour out of your heart.

About the Author

Abby Mackie currently leads the Flagstaff Church of Christ (AZ) alongside her husband Brian. She became a Christian in San Diego, California, and fell in love with the work of the ministry during a one-year challenge to Pullman, Washington. She is a firm believer that the Christmas season starts on November 1. When she isn’t pregnant, Abby loves to run marathons. She is hoping to train for her third marathon in February 2025!