Prayer is not the answer

By Dele Olawanle

Prayer is good no doubt, however, in most areas of life, prayer is not always required. There are a lot of people who pray to God regularly with no change or improvement in their circumstances. This is because as much as God is all-powerful and can do all things, we have a part to play. Anyone who only prays without corresponding action will live a life of mediocrity. We abdicate our responsibility by asking God, through prayer, to do what we should do. God will not do for you what you can do for yourself. There are ways we can resolve issues instead of praying non-stop about them. God has endowed us with the power and creative ability we need to deal with life’s issues. Here are some of the things we ought to do rather than just praying about them:-

Help people in need, if you have the capacity to do so, rather than just praying about their issues. Give a hungry person food not prayers. ·

Appreciate people by saying thank you whenever you have been shown any goodness. Ingratitude closes the doors of opportunity and prayer will not open them. ·

Where we need to add value to our lives, prayer will not suffice. Get an education or more education and don’t pray only. ·

Be humble. James 4: 6; the prayer of the proud will not be answered because God resists the proud. ·

Maintain personal hygiene and strive to look good all the time. Prayer will not solve the problem of achieving a decent appearance. ·

Prayer is not the answer to prospering financially rather obey the command ‘Give’ Luke 6: 38. Pay your tithes and give offerings. ·

Associate with the right set of people. Surround yourself with visionaries. Your life will not change or improve until you change your circle of influence. ·

Speak the right words because words are creative. Our words create our destinies. After you’ve prayed speak positive words. More prayers will not make any difference. ·

Forgiveness is required for prayers to be answered. Unforgiveness hinders our prayers from being answered. Matthew 6: 15 ·

Form the habit of saving part of what you earn; if you don’t save money, prayer will not help in times of hardship. ·

Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 19: 19. Where love is needed, prayer is not the answer. Prayer will not avail much when love is needed. ·

Do not be stuck with the age barrier. Your solution to a problem might be with a younger person but trying to hold your position of seniority might deprive you of it while the problem lingers, prayer is not the answer. It is not by age but by grace. Job 32; 6-9. ·

Deal with wickedness if you choose to have peace. Here also prayer will not suffice. The wicked person can never have peace. ·

Where obedience is required, prayer is not the answer. Obey God, obey authority figures. Disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft. ·

Learn to apologize whenever you are wrong; say sorry! Prayer will not replace an apology.

Don’t stop communing with God through prayer but learn to do your part by acting and God will do His.