What Happens If We Don't Pray?
If there are benefits from praying, and rewards for praying, what happens when we are neglectful of it?
You do not have because you do not ask. James 4:2
We’ve contended from our beginning that the Church is mostly powerless because it is mostly prayerless. And so, what happens when the people of God do not pray is, well…very little.
At least, little from the Lord. because as E. M. Bounds writes, prayer brings God into the situation. So then, not praying does the opposite, it leaves Him out of it. And that leaves us handling it all on our own, in our limited wisdom, strength, ability, and resources.
How’s that working out for us?
The Scriptures are full of stories that give us insights and examples of those who prayed, then acted. Let’s mention a couple.
A nameless servant of Abraham was sent to find a wife for his son. In Genesis 24, we read that he was sent on a mission to the country and kindred of Abraham. As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water. Then he prayed:
“O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
This servant must have known the assignment needed the Lord’s involvement, His blessing, His guiding hand. His seeking favor and help show us he recognizes his dependence on the Almighty, and is an example of how we also should go on our missions: with prayer leading the way.
What happened? Verse 15: “Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.” The servants prayer got God involved.
Another is Nehemiah. He was in service to the King of Susa, but had a problem. When he heard that the walls of his beloved Jerusalem were broken down and the gates burned, he wept. And, he says, “I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”
Then he said:
“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites.
I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.
They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand. O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
In chapter two, we read that the king ask Nehemiah why his face was sad and what was his request. After it was told the king, we read in verse 8: “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.”
And why was the hand of God upon Nehemiah? Perhaps, at least in part, because he prayed, and brought God into the situation.
We should study these prayers for keys to our own praying, like praise, humility, confession, specific requests, putting God in remembrance, etc. But, let us take special note that they prayed, then acted, and Heavenly Father blessed it.
You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.
— Paul Bunyan
Until Thursday, grace and peace…