The prayers of a hopeless romantic betting on love to get by isn’t anything compared to the prayers of a humble heart seeking to live out the love of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)... God doesn’t want to be a part of our lives, He wants to be the soul of our lives.
Woah, we’re halfway there. Woah, livin’ on a prayer…
Being raised on Bon Jovi and having a bit of a dreamer-like, damsel-in-distress, punk-rock girl buried deep within my soul, “livin’ on a prayer,” looked a little like holding hands with some cute guy and plunging into this life head-first - living on love! That was me about 20 years ago. Fortunately, God came into my life, rescued me, and gave me a whole new perspective.
If you find yourself resounding that all too familiar pop song in your head, then we’re kindred spirits. You’ve got a little of that hopeless romantic in you too. It does sound rather dreamy to be whisked away from this life, believing that love will conquer all odds. However, without real faith, it’s merely a fairy-tale.
Don’t get me wrong. Real, pure love can exist between two people, and it is beautiful. It can even feel fairy-tale like, especially when challenges arise and “fighting for love” happens. However, while we may be easily enchanted by a good love story, you and I both know, love doesn’t always work that way. Love can often be messy. Love can hurt. Sometimes love isn’t chocolates and red roses. Sometimes it’s unfair. That’s because love is joined together by two imperfect people. Two people with different expectations of what love should look like.
Living on love or living on a prayer? Neither one amount to much if we don’t take our hearts to the One who created them both. As believers, we love because God first loved us. We pray because God is love. Prayer is an act of faithful love.
The prayers of a hopeless romantic betting on love to get by isn’t anything compared to the prayers of a humble heart seeking to live out the love of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). A love that is patient, kind, isn’t rude or boastful, and keeps no record of wrongs. Who doesn’t want a love like that? When we choose to see love the way our God does, and then act upon it, there within lies the beauty of every true love story.
Our heartfelt prayers connect us with our loving Father. Prayer is precious for our heart, mind, and soul. It offers us a direct line of communication to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. (Psalm 145:18) It reminds us to surrender our lives over to our God who is sovereign, in control, and unchanging.
Prayer gives us forgiveness and wisdom. It offers us hope and perspective. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful.
What does “living on a prayer” actually look like?
Living on a prayer is more about aligning our heart and mind with the heart and mind of our Savior. It’s learning to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8) It’s desiring to live and love like Jesus.
When we realize our prayers are heard and have power, we want to pray in a way that honors our God.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
This beautiful Bible verse lays out pretty clearly how we are called to pray.
First, we are to rejoice always.
There is something truly special when we rejoice in the Lord. The word rejoice simply means to show great joy and delight. However, as a believer, it goes deeper than that. It brings forth a sense of deep connection and gratification. Oftentimes leaving us breathless with awe and wonder. That rejoicing that takes our breath away comes from being in His holy presence. When we lift up our hearts in prayer, we aren’t just conversing with anyone; we are holding an intimate conversation with our Creator. It’s quite humbling to know that God wants to know us personally and longs to have a relationship with us. God, being all knowing, also commands us to pray because He knows it will help us walk in obedience and wisdom (Colossians 4:2-3). He gives us prayer as a lifeline. That, in and of itself, is worth rejoicing! When we love, honor, respect, and delight in our awesome God through our prayers, the best part is that He delights in us too. (Psalm 147:11)
Then, we are asked to pray without ceasing.
Sounds impossible, right? How can we be in prayer all the time? The truth is, having a meaningful relationship with God is more than a ten-minute quiet time in the morning. It’s more that a lengthy or perfect prayer that lays out our confessions and then asks for His will to be done. It’s more than the occasional check in or praying with a prayer group. Our prayers can become meaningless if we aren’t authentic with God. God doesn’t want our ritual prayers; He wants our heart (Matthew 6:5-9). In order for our relationship to grow, we have to spend time with Him. God doesn’t want to be a part of our lives, He wants to be the soul of our lives. We can do that by conversing with Him throughout our day. The time spent in the car as you pick up the kids, offer your heart to Him as you sing to the Christian song playing on the radio. While you wash and fold clothes, thank God for each of those precious family members. As you enter a meeting, ask God to give you the strength to do your job well. In reality, we don’t live on a prayer, we pray so that we can live. And not just any life, but an abundant one.
Finally, we are to give thanks in all circumstances.
Life is going to come with challenges, that is certain. The washing machine leaks and floods the downstairs. Kids are sick again. The diagnosis doesn’t sound good. The list goes on. It’s easy to rejoice and give thanks to the Lord when things are going well in our lives, but it’s a little harder to do when life throws us a curve ball. It’s easier to pray for things to change than to pray for peace in the midst of pain. So, how are we to give thanks in all circumstances? We must shift our focus and change our perspective. We do that by holding tightly to the promises God offers us in His Word. The most important promise being that we will have eternal life with Him if we accept the sacrifice His Son made for us on the cross. (John 3:16) Troubling times will come, but God is asking us to focus on Him and His faithfulness, putting our trust in Him alone. God sees the entire picture. He sees the beginning and the end, because He is the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22:13) That should give us hope and enable us to give thanks in all things.
The truth is, living on a prayer isn’t always going to look pretty. It’s not going to come with a string quartet playing a love song. You most likely won’t be swept off your feet and blissfully ride off into the sunset. It’s not about living happily ever after because our “ever after” isn’t here in this life. But, don’t lose hope. All you hopeless romantics, there will be a day when you will be joined by your Savior, and trust me… it will be the greatest love story yet!
Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Warren Goldswain
