This evening, as I prepared to leave home for my church’s weekly prayer meeting, my heart felt unsettled. “What’s the point of going?” I muttered within me. I was surprised by this attitude and felt really discouraged. I wondered about the point of praying and the effectiveness of my prayers. But by the mercy of God, He enabled me to go. My plan was just to go and listen to the prayers. I do find it encouraging to listen to others praying, so at least I would be there, I thought.

So I went to the prayer meeting. It began as it always does, one of my pastors — the one leading for the evening, going through the different prayer points, on matters close to home and also across the world. As these needs were being shared, I felt my heart stirred. I felt the desire to pray. This was God’s mercy to me.

At some point during the meeting, the scripture about praying and not losing heart came to mind. It felt like a lifting of my spirits thinking of that scripture. It is in the scripture to pray. I am commanded to pray, and that’s the point! That truth comforted and strengthened me.

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1, NKJV)

So at some point, I prayed, trusting that despite my seemingly muddled-up words, I was obeying the Lord by praying, and the Lord was hearing. The Lord hears.

I may not understand how the Lord works through my prayers, but His perfect Word tells me to pray. So, when next I feel discouraged about praying, I pray for the grace to remember what the point is —God commands me to pray, and His commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:8).

I just performed a quick exercise of searching for instances where praying is referenced in the Bible, and it is almost on every page. Christ prayed, and He taught His disciples to pray. May the Lord help me to truly pray and not lose heart.