From the Inside Out
A Grace Filled Life
Grace to pray (2|3)
Pages 194-202
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 62:5-8 (NIV) My soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly, he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Romans 8:22-27 (NIV) We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Why is it important to bring our genuine, unfiltered desires before God in prayer rather than trying to say only what we think He wants to hear?
What does it mean to live in complete dependence on God, and why is prayer the primary expression of that dependence? How does recognizing our need for Him shape the way we live and serve?
Have you ever experienced a season when prayer felt difficult or empty, yet you sensed that simply showing up mattered to God? How does it encourage you to know that He delights in being with you, even at your weakest?
How does trusting in God’s unchanging love and wisdom help us respond when He delays or says “no” to our prayers?
Can you think of a time when God’s “no” or “not yet” later proved to be for your greater good? How did that experience deepen your trust in His love and timing?