Profitable Prayer

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.  Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17

Warning: I’m going to take this a little bit out of context in sharing with you the thought that came to me when I read this. I think it is an appropriate thought process for the passage, but it definitely wouldn’t “preach.” Having said that…

There are times when I delight to pray for and pour into people and situations. Those are the times of ministry that fuel me. Excite me. Strengthen me. It happens with my family, people in my church, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers in the body of Christ for whom I get the chance to pray. I love those times.

Then there are times that are struggles in prayer and ministry. Those are the situations where stubbornness and a clinging to sin make my efforts seem like I am pressing against a brick wall that will not give no matter how much I pour into it.

I confess that there are many times with the latter group that my heart says, “Fine. You don’t want my prayers? You don’t want me to pour over you in ministry? Have it your way!” But, oh how wrong I am!!

What I do for others in prayer and action has nothing to do with how they respond. It has everything to do with how I am personally walking in obedience to my God. I am challenged to not give up. I am challenged to persevere. I am challenged to continue regardless of the outcome. Even if their hearts never turn, it will still be profitable for me in the presence of God. The only lack of profit for me is if I abandon the course.