Prayer is mysterious. I have prayed in some fashion since I was 8 years old. My theology of prayer has changed many times. I have used different wording, different tones, different volumes, influenced by the church culture I was in. I have been in many discussions, and a few arguments
about prayer.
I have believed that God will give you whatever you ask if it is not bad, wrong, or too selfish; if you have enough faith. So, if God did not give you the healing or whatever miracle you asked for, it was because of your lack faith.
I have believed that whatever you pray, you have to say, “but
your will be done” as a kind of waiver, a passive “Oh well, I prayed, but God
will do what God will do”. There was no
expectation that God was moved by my prayer, that He would grant my requests. That
reflects no faith whatever.
I have seen God answer many prayers, but there are many
prayers that He did answer.
When in my mind, I heard the word mystery, I felt settled. I
have spent much time trying to understand and explain prayer, and I am still
confused about it. I can study prayer, but with the understanding that there is
some amount of mystery that is beyond my ability to comprehend. God is mysterious.
His ways are mysterious.
Rom 11:33-34 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his
ways!
"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his
counselor?"
Last weekend I was thinking about the first teaching that I
remember about prayer. I was around 10 years old. I remember a picture the
teacher showed, of children praying, “Dear God, please do not let it rain
tomorrow so that we can have our Sunday School picnic.”
The teacher showed us another picture, of a farmer, praying,
“Dear God, please send rain for our crops.” The teacher explained that sometimes God does not give us what we ask for because He knows of a greater need. That lesson must have left a deep impression, since I can remember it 50 years later. I am grateful, because that lesson gave me a good foundation for making requests. It is not wrong to ask God for the things that I want, but I have to understand that God’s answer will reflect His greater knowledge.
Php_4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God.
And, God is moved by our prayers. 1Jn_5:15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
With that knowledge, there comes some excitement about
prayer. To know that the God of the universe; holy, wise, mighty, strong, good,
able, beyond comprehension. This God hears me when I speak with Him, and is
ready to do the things that I ask Him to do.
Joh 14:12-14 "Truly, truly, I
say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and
greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Whatever you ask in
my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me
anything in my name, I will do it.
But, there is more. To know that this God is good and wise,
and He loves me more than I am able to comprehend. He will not give me what is
not good for me. He will not say, “Well, I had something better in mind for
you, but since this is what you want, this is what I will do.” He always has my
best interest in mind. He operates according to a higher plan. This knowledge is
comforting. I am secure in making my requests, knowing that He will answer
according to His greater knowledge, and according to His great love.
Ask, believe, expect; rest in the mystery. 
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