Does prayer really help? It seems really easy, yet it’s really hard for us to do. Maybe you have experienced a situation where you prayed and continued to pray and you felt like God was not listening. Maybe you see other people around you getting what they want when they pray and yet you do not. Maybe you are even angry with God because he told you no. What if there is more to prayer than just God listening and answering? As we unfold this topic, we are going to consider how Jesus prayed. Below are some discussion and reflection questions, but we are going to do something different. Prayer is not something we should merely talk about, it’s something we should do! So think about what’s bothering you right now. Be honest. Maybe you feel like God is not listening. Maybe you are unsure about how to know God is speaking or leading you. Maybe you are angry with God for not answering a prayer you have prayed for years. Whatever you are dealing with, whatever is burdening you, bring that request with you on Sunday evening. You can share your request(s) with others or you can silently speak before God, either way just bring it! As we consider Jesus and his honest prayer before God in Matthew 26:36-39, we are going to pray the same way over whatever is burdening us. I’m trusting that God will speak to each of us in very fresh and profound ways through our time together on Sunday evening.
Discussion Questions:
1) Do you think God always answers prayer?
Do you think sometimes he says no? Explain.
2) If someone close to you asked you to describe prayer, what would you say?
What if they then asked you, “does prayer work”, what would your response be and why?
3) Do you believe God has invited you to take part in the ongoing creation of the world?
If so, what does this mean in your day-to-day life?
4) Is prayer about changing you or about changing what’s happening?
How could prayer change your perspective right now?
Personal Reflection During your week:
- Read Matt 26:36-39 – Notice the honesty in Jesus’ prayer. Are you honest with God when you pray? Are there things in your life right now you wish were different? Stuff you’re dealing with? Situations you’ve gone through? Are you up for whatever God has in mind? Be honest with Him and open to His will.
- Prayer is not only us presenting our requests to God, it is God presenting His will to our hearts. God promises us that our prayers are not empty, even if we don't receive specifically what we asked for (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26-28)
- He has promised that when we ask for things that are in accordance with His will, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15)
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