Why I Know Prayer Works

In college I went through a phase where I HAD to have the answer for everything that I believed. I was in the middle of my religion degree, which was more sociology, psychology, history, theology than it was Bible, and my mind was racing a hundred miles an hour. Some of the issues were (you might find these familiar):
-Is Christianity really the only "right" religion?
-What happens to other non-Christians?
-Could all of this been a legend that gives us comfort, but really isn't true?
-Is the Bible more of a story than a fact book?

...and so on.

However, one of the issues that ate at me the most was the issue of prayer. Every other aspect of Christian faith seemed to have its place intellectually for me, but prayer was a mystery, at attribute of my faith that was superficial at best and one that I only participated in when others asked me to.

I began to feel that it was a psychological thing, because if God already knows what's going to happen, then God would have already made up God's mind, and who am I to change God's mind by asking God for something? And if I'm praying to thank God for things...well, what is worship for then? It seemed to be just something we do to make ourselves feel better.

I have heard of people receiving answered prayers, and know that I have as well...but that would hardly convince someone that prayer works. Miracles and callings, unless experienced, are merely figments of others' imaginations.

However, this past Sunday our church, Stonebridge UMC, held a prayer walk for McKinney ISD schools. Every school was covered and we walked around the outsides of the schools and prayed for the students, the teachers, the administrators, the custodians, the parents, the building, everything to ask God that our educational system would raise up young people that had every opportunity in this world to succeed where God calls them to be. We prayed for equality, effort and passion from the teachers and students. We prayed that the parents would be involved and active in their student's life.

We were asked if it was a success...we will have to wait and see I guess.

But for now, I will say yes, prayer works, because I drive close to Finch Elementary School, McKinney High School, Malvern Elementary School, Evan Middle School and a school that I don't even know the name for yet and ever since this time I have looked upon these schools not as educational centers but as the future of our world. I feel personally invested in these students' lives and want to cheer the teachers on to success. No longer are the kids just kids, but they are my kids in a sense...I want God to bless them all, and I want them all to follow God to where they are called to be. The schools are now grounds for future leaders of the church, future business leaders, future wonderful human beings...and there's no one else I want watching over them but God.

So when I say prayer works, I'm sure that there will be students that fail classes and parents who undervalue education. I'm sure that there will be teachers and principles who go to school dreading the day and waiting for happy hour to arrive. But I know that prayer works because my mind through prayer with God has oriented my view of that school as a place where God is at work...even if you can't talk about God. God has changed my heart to see the schools as awesome, valuable parts of our society, because education is really the key to happiness I believe.

I've come to see that prayer may not be about what I can make happen, or what I get out of it, or even showing God what I'm thankful for. Instead, I now have come to see prayer as a way of letting God focus me on the way God wants me to see the world...and that has worked. I have come to see my petitions to God as a way of me wondering how important my petitions are...and that has worked. Sometimes I don't even have to actively pray for an answer and God will lead me there.

So, rethinking prayer, I completely agree...prayer works.