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Nehemiah 6:9 – Praying for Strength
I wonder…do we really want to pray like we so often do, for strength? Do we understand what that implies? Are we ready to accept the consequences of praying for strength?
The way we often act, we don’t want strength. Why? We don’t want the situation that requires strength. Strength is only needed when strength is required just like courage is only courage when tested. Instead, what we want is relief. Here is the prayer we really should be uttering….
“Give us ease, Oh God. Fight not only for us, but instead of us. Remove difficult times, barriers and obstacles. Make life easy for we are too weak.”
Sigh…that doesn’t quite sound scriptural, does it? But does that sound more like the type of life we want to lead? Praying for strength means we are not asking for ease, but rather for the ability to withstand the difficult times. And yet, if we are praying for strength, why so often do we stop walking the walk even though we have been talking the talk?
Nehemiah was being frightened by his enemies, so he prayed for strength, not ease (Nehemiah 6:9).
The Psalmist was saddened by life, so he prayed for strength, instead of blaming God (Psalm 119:28).
Peter was about to be tested…and Jesus said he would fail. So Jesus prayed that Peter would be strong enough to stand back up in faith and to help others (Luke 22:32). Jesus didn’t pray that Peter would not be tested.
I wonder, when we pray for strength, do we realize what kind of life we are willing to live?
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