Jelly Roll shares a common dilemma in one of his hit songs released two years ago, which starts out with the realization, “I only talk to God when I need a favor. And I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer.” His first stanza ends with, “But God, I need a favor.”
Welcome to episode two of our series, Prayer. This week, we focus on prayers for healing. Not just healing from physical ailments, though. The stories from this week’s chapter in our companion book cover a wide range of requests, from help recovering from addictions to cancer and grief.
When God answers our requests, we celebrate. But when we feel ignored, we want to understand why. In fact, “why” might be our default question for many things we blame on God that seem pointless.
Since humans thrive on meaning, “why” is our most crucial emotional fuel. “We’re simply far more likely to accept a change,” explains Alex Lickerman, M.D. In a Psychology Today article, “if we understand the reason for it.” Even if we don’t benefit and it causes us harm, as long as the “why” satisfies our sense of fairness, we’re far more likely to accept change and even embrace it.
The closest example of an official formula for prayer, found in scripture, is the time when Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer comes out of this story.
Jesus began by addressing God with intimacy. “Our Father” conveys a more personal relationship than a transactional one. Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t shy away from requests. However, His focus was more on needs than wants.
Forgive us, as we forgive others, on the other hand, sounds like a form of bargaining. More relevant, however, is the humility conveyed in our conversations with God. We’re all in need of mercy, but shouldn’t expect it if we’re unwilling to offer mercy to others.
Prayer, for many of us, often comes in the form of complaints and requests, which is understandable when we’re hurting. And “why” accompanies most of our complaints.
Scripture sometimes addresses why, especially in the Old Testament. But the common answer we get in most cases is often unsatisfying. The people we read about in scripture believed that a connection exists between our actions and outcomes. Regardless, however, of what people did or didn’t do, whatever happened, it was because God decided to or said so.
Perhaps the most well-known example is the story of Job, found in a book titled the same. The Book of Job is part of what is called the wisdom section of the Bible. The Book of Job is regarded as a classic of wisdom literature.
Job is the poster child for bad things happening to good people. Job was a wealthy man with a large house, a family, and many friends. He was a model husband, citizen, churchgoer, and more. Job had it together and did everything the way things are supposed to be done. But then Job lost everything, including his wealth, his family, and his health.
His good fortune symbolizes what most of us think life should be like for those of us who play by the rules. Good people come out on top, and bad people don’t. Except life doesn’t seem to work that way, and the number of exceptions we’re experiencing recently is off the hook.
Job’s fortunes turn to crap, and he loses everything. His estate burns down, he loses his family, and Job develops a horrible skin disease. He becomes homeless and lives outside the town with the other lepers.
Not all of Job’s friends abandoned him. But when they went to visit him, they lectured Job on the reality that surely his fate was because of something he had done. According to Job’s friends, while everyone thought that Job was a model citizen, they no longer believed this was the case. “You need to confess your failures to God and ask for mercy,” his friends advised him.
However, while Job also believed that God rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked, Job lived his life in a manner befitting his character. He was a believer who lived according to the rules. So Job took his complaints to God. Job believed it was God who had to answer for his plight, and he demanded to know why this was happening to him.
After several speeches by Job to provoke God to explain why so many bad things had happened to him, God responds. “Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?” God began (Job 38:1-2).
Job got his response, but it wasn’t what he expected. For one, God didn’t say, “Remember that time when you did this or you failed to do that?” What Job did or didn’t do never comes up.
Instead, God speaks to Job like a Father about to give His son a good talking to. “Stand up straight and answer the questions I ask you!” God continues. (Job 38:3).
What questions do you think the Creator of the Universe might ask Job? What questions does God ask you and me when we’re angry and expecting God to explain something terrible that happened?
“Were you there when I made the world?” God begins by reminding Job who he is talking to. “If you know so much, tell me about it. Who decided how large it would be? Who stretched the measuring line over it? Do you know all the answers?” (Job 38:4-5).
Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it.
Job 38:1-8
Among other infractions of holy etiquette, it appears that Job was missing the awe that should come naturally whenever we speak to God. And he made an erroneous assumption. Job believed that our blessings are rewards for the good things we do, and whenever bad things happen, it is a punishment for the bad.
And Job was learning, along with the rest of us, that the universe doesn’t revolve around any one of us. Nor does it revolve around people who do everything right or people who don’t. Instead, the universe was architected out of tremendous, creative power that is beyond our comprehension.
Fortunately, the world was created by a loving God who genuinely takes the time to listen and respond to each of us, regardless of merit, credentials, or our ability to speak or hear. And often, God needs to remind us that His wisdom is far beyond our understanding. However, when in doubt, go to what Jesus had to say and do likewise.
You can join us each Sunday in person or online by clicking the button on our website’s homepage. Click here to watch. This button takes you to our YouTube channel. You can find more information about us on our website at FlintAsburyChurch.org.
This is a reminder that we publish a weekly newsletter called the Circuit Rider. You can request this publication by email by sending a request to FlintAsburyUMC@gmail.com, or let us know when you send a message through our website. We post an archive of past editions on our website under Connect – choose Newsletters.
Pastor Tommy
Our series was inspired by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, LeAnn Thieman. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Answered Prayers: 101 Stories of Hope, Miracles, Faith, Divine Intervention, and the Power of Prayer. Cos Cob, CT: Chicken Soup for the Soul, 2011.
Alex Lickerman, M.D. Reviewed by Jessica Schrader . “Why We Need to Know Why.” © Psychology Today, November 15, 2010. Retrieved from: link