Do not Pray Yourself out of Faith

              " Believe and trust: through stars and suns
                Through life and death, through soul and sense
                      His wise, paternal purpose runs
                      The darkness of His Providence
                       Is starlit with Divine intent."

I don't know who wrote the above stanza, but I love what it says. It's in my devotional Streams in the Desert for today's date, January 4th.  Today's message clarifies what true faith is and what we need to pray about.

Do not pray yourself out of faith, the author stresses and I found it difficult to comprehend it at first. But thinking it deeper, I come to realize that I had prayed myself out of faith many times. Yes, I do pray at times not believing to get the results I've prayed for. If I'm correct, that's what the author is warning about-Do not pray yourself out of faith.

Praying for the sake of praying  cannot be considered a prayer of faith. Why do we then pray, if we think that what we pray for is not going to be received. Maybe somewhere in the closet on our mind, we've already determined that the thing or the matter we're praying about is too big for God to handle or God is too far away to hear our petition. Or we are too unworthy for God to care about. Yet, we pray despite our unbelief and unworthyness.

God in His mercy who knows us inside out chooses to answer our prayers despite our flaws at times. However He delights in prayers enveloped in faith- mustard sized, childlike or steadfast.

"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing you will receive." Mathew 21:22

Jesus said to the centurion, " Go your way: and as you have believed so let it be done for you." Mathew7:13

And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, " Do you believe that I'm able to do this?"
They said to Him," Yes, Lord."
Then He touched their eyes saying, " According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened.

O Lord, let our eyes too be opened to see Your power and glory as those blind men's did. Help us to grow in our faith, so that we would pray in faith according to Your will.

To know your will , we need to walk closer to You and to pray in faith, we need to trust in Your word. Let us not pray ourselves out of faith in our sloppiness and unbelief.
Instead, let me make You say as You said to the woman from Sidon, " O woman, great is your faith! let it be to you as you desire."