Why Do We Struggle to Pray?

March 13, 2025

“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 NASB95)

How would your life change if you prayed without ceasing?  How would your family’s life change?  If you prayed without ceasing, how would it impact your brothers and sisters in Christ?  How would your prayers impact the world? 

We all know that prayer is vital to a healthy relationship with God, and I’m sure that we all would like to be more devoted to it, and yet we often fall short of the prayer life we desire.  Why do we sometimes struggle to pray?  Perhaps it is because we have some doubts about the effectiveness of prayer.  It may be that you prayed your heart out over something or someone in the past, and you didn’t see that it made a difference.  Perhaps it is because we don’t feel like we’re “doing” anything when we pray and that our time would be better spent with other pursuits.  Perhaps it is because we feel that we are saying the same thing over and over again to God.  Let’s briefly examine some of these difficulties.

If prayer is powerful, why is it that sometimes our prayers seem to have no effect?  The truth is that our prayers may have had profound effects that we cannot immediately see.  We will not always know the impact our prayers had on the heart of a person.  We will not always know how our prayers impacted a situation.  Some of these things we may not see until we are on the other side of eternity.  Ask yourself this: How would the situation have turned out if you had not prayed?  We will never know the answer to that question with certainty.  We often pray for people to change their hearts or actions, or to come to know the Lord (and these are wonderful prayers!).  When praying for people, we must remember that God will never override someone’s free will and force them to change their ways.  But we can always pray that God will soften their hearts or provide opportunities for the truth to reach them.

What about the feeling that our time would be better spent “doing” rather than “praying?” It is true that there is a time for prayer and a time for action, but let’s remember that prayer is a great source of power behind our actions.  Our Lord knew this to be true.  He was always very busy teaching, preaching, and healing, yet He always prioritized prayer.  He even prioritized prayer over sleep as He would rise very early in the morning to pray, or even pray all night long.  It is clear that Jesus saw prayer as an absolute essential part of His life and ministry.  How much more do we need to rely upon it?

Finally, what about this feeling that you are saying the same things over and over to God?  First of all, let’s realize that this is not a bad thing at all, as long as those prayers are sincere.  There are many things that we need to say to God every single day, and they can be said in a heartfelt way.  Let me also suggest a practice that has been helpful to me over the years: praying the scriptures.  What I mean by that is to merge your Bible study with your prayers.  When you hear the word of God, pray about the things you have heard.  Let the words of scripture sink into your heart, and speak to God about what He has said, asking Him to help you live out His words.  In this way you will have an inexhaustible treasury of things to speak to the Lord about that come right from the scriptures. 

Let us always pray!  God works powerfully through prayer!

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

The Work of Elders

March 11, 2025

We tend to use the word “elders” in referring to our congregation’s leaders. This term (presbuteros in Greek) was used in both Jewish and Gentile environments for religious and civic leaders in the ancient world. Jack P. Lewis notes, “The term ‘elder’ suggests a leadership built on respect and reverence (cf. Lev. 19:32), a reverence that recognizes ability, service, knowledge, example, and seniority.”1

The New Testament uses “elders” interchangeably with two other words: overseer (episkopos) and shepherd (poimēn). Bishop is another word used in English for overseer. Unfortunately, it now has some historical baggage and has come to mean something different from its New Testament usage. Pastor comes into English from Latin and is simply a word meaning shepherd. The nouns “overseer” and “shepherd” also have corresponding verbs that are used in leadership contexts: to oversee (episkopeo) and to shepherd (poimainō).2 The following New Testament passages confirm the idea that these words were used interchangeably to refer to the same group of leaders within the congregation: Acts 20:17, 28, Titus 1:5-7, and 1 Peter 5:1-2.

Oversight. So what do elders do? Both the words “overseers” and “elders” suggest oversight, leadership, and decision making. In 1Timothy 5:17, Paul notes elders “who rule well” (ESV). The Greek verb in this verse (proistēmi) can be defined as “to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of).”3 The same verb is used in 1 Timothy 3:5 to speak of a elders’s leadership in his family.

Teaching. One of the qualifications of overseers in 1 Timothy 3 is “able to teach” (3:2). Some may “especially” give attention to “preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). “Especially” lets us know that the work goes beyond these things, but may include them. In the qualifications given in Titus, there is the need “to give instruction” (Titus 1:9). And shepherds are linked with others in Ephesians 4:11 as equipping the saints for service.

Guarding. The word “overseers” includes the idea of guardians. The image of shepherds also includes the thought of guardians of a flock of sheep. Paul warns the Ephesian elders of dangers coming to the church and urges them to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” and “be alert” (Acts 20:28, 31).

Shepherding. Shepherd is a very personal image. The figure of speech evokes the role of shepherd with his sheep: feeding, protecting, caring for wounds, and searching for the lost sheep.

And finally, we note that elders are “examples to the flock,” the church (1 Peter 5:3).

–Russ Holden

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1Lewis, Leadership Questions, p. 21

2I’ve given the first person singular form rather than the infinitive, because it is the dictionary form.

3BDAG, p. 870

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Posted by Russell Holden

Having a Sober Mind

March 11, 2025

The New Testament speaks often of the need to be “sober.”  Being sober certainly means that Christians should never be intoxicated by alcohol or other substances, but the word goes beyond prohibiting physical drunkenness.  Being sober is to be free from mental and spiritual intoxication.  It is to be self-controlled and to avoid the passions and lusts that will cloud our minds and souls.

There are many things in this world that can cause spiritual intoxication.  And just as with physical intoxication, those who are spiritually intoxicated make bad choices, can’t see the consequences of their actions, and are unresponsive to any help or correction.  Those who are spiritually intoxicated can have a false sense that everything is great, when in reality they may be in very serious danger.  What can cause spiritual drunkenness?  Following our own sinful lusts and pleasures will certainly do it.  But pursuing anything (even if it is not inherently sinful) in an excessive, uncontrolled manner can make us numb to spiritual realities and keep us from seeing spiritual dangers. Career, money, pleasure, and entertainment have always been potential sources of intoxication.  And in our day, we have the added threats of our devices and social media.  While not wrong to use in and of themselves, it is easy to see how these things can dull our spiritual senses. 

What do the scriptures say about sobriety?  Why is it so important?  Let’s look at a couple uses of this word.  Peter writes, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7 NASB95) We must be sober so that we will be people of prayer.  We are in a spiritual battle, and we need to be alert and aware so that we can see spiritual needs and pray for ourselves and others.  Peter again says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) A lack of sobriety will cause us to be unaware of the spiritual dangers that surround us.  Those who are not keeping themselves sober may not hear the lion’s roar, and they can easily be devoured.  But those who are sober can see the dangers, and they have the spiritual presence of mind to take quick, sensible action.

Let us heed the Lord’s warnings and be sober in mind and spirit.    

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin