I’ve not been praying enough. I know this because the Bible says pray without ceasing. I know this because I struggle with having joy and peace. God also used the evening sermons on prayer at Grace OPC to convict me. If I had communed with God, my emotions would be more stable. I can go too long without praying! Prayer is acknowledging ones dependence upon God. J.C. Ryle says that a person’s prayer reveals the health of his relationship with God.
God in his goodness, will drive us to prayer. He might bring relational conflicts, internal sin, or stressful situations in life. (Not that we should wait for these things to pray!) Work can drive us to prayer:
Work, work, from morning until late at night. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer. -Martin Luther
Lust can drive us to prayer:
But some might say, “Waiting for marriage is unbearable and aggravating!” They’re right. It’s very similar to other difficulties requiring patience that believers must face, such as fasting, imprisonment, cold, sickness, and persecution. Lust is a serious burden. You must resist it and fight against it. But after you have overcome it through prayer, lust will have caused you to pray more and grow in faith. – Martin Luther
Here’s an article for you to consider: “Why Should Reformed Christians Pray?“
