Pastors

HIDDEN EFFICIENCIES OF PRAYER

Four ways that prayer is productive.

Four ways that prayer is productive.

“Are all the activities that scream for my attention really essential?” asks one pastor, “Am I missing the burning bush while trying to keep the lawn cut?”

Many pastors lament that too many deadlines, meetings, decisions, phone calls, and appointments rob their prayer times. Facing a similar dilemma, early church leaders decided, “We will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4).

For today’s pastors, time in prayer is squeezed by two cultural values: (1) self-reliant individualism, and (2) the demand for measurable productivity. These two philosophies, which greatly shape our approach to work, place little premium on an activity that is seemingly passive and difficult to quantify.

The struggle between prayer and “productive work” is as old as the conflict between Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Industrious Martha-types, however, may be surprised to discover four ways that authentic prayer is actually very productive.

Inspired decisions

Prayer creates a climate for wise decision-making. Before Jesus chose his twelve disciples, he spent the entire night in prayer.

One of the poorest uses of our time is trying to patch up and live with unwise choices. I think of all the frustration and wasted time I’ve faced when I’ve chosen staff or lay leaders too hastily. My time would have been spent more efficiently had I followed Jesus’ pattern.

Prayer helps us focus on our priorities. After waking before dark and spending time in prayer, Jesus had his priorities clearly defined. Although Peter reported an emergency, “Everyone is looking for you,” Jesus calmly reported that he had other matters to attend to (Mark 1:35-38).

Prayer also forestalls one of the biggest misuses of time and energy: anxiety. “By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6, 7). Most people find that a peaceful state of mind enhances creative thinking.

Favor with the right people

Prayer releases favor with key people. Nehemiah knew that what he was called to do required the blessing and financial support of his authorities. His strategy was “I prayed to the God of heaven, and . . . the king granted my requests” (Neh. 2:4, 8 RSV).

Frequently our goals cannot be attained without the support of others. Countless good ideas have been squelched by superiors. Worthy projects have been abandoned because key players were unsupportive. Prayer can promote teamwork and unity in godly endeavors.

Once I found myself being taken advantage of by a church leader. I complained to my wife for months. I went to the individual and couldn’t resolve the problem. I then read Proverbs 29:26: “Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice.” After I prayed this verse, there was an immediate change. I couldn’t believe how seeking justice from God, not human boards and committees, quickly expedited the solution.

Open doors

Some doors are opened only through prayer. Some of the obstacles we face have been designed to drive us to depend upon Christ’s power. When we humbly call out to him, doors that were once closed open miraculously.

Other times, doors of opportunity may be closed due to Satanic hindrances. These blockages demonstrate that much of ministry is beyond human capabilities. It requires the power of the One we are serving. Prayer once again is our means of releasing divine power to push back these forces.

When prayer becomes a regular part of our business plans, our partnership with Christ becomes a reality. Someone once said, “When we work, we work. When we pray, God works.”

Fueled by significance

Prayer adds spiritual meaning to our work. One complaint often heard among employees is a lack of fulfillment in their work. When work becomes perfunctory, mundane, and just going through the motions, low morale sets in along with poor time management.

That can happen even to those doing “the Lord’s work.” In Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels wrote, “It became obvious to me that the pace of my life outstripped my capacity to analyze it. It exhausted me to be constantly doing and rarely reflecting on what I did. At the end of a day I would wonder if my work had any meaning at all.”

The apostle Paul instructed workers to add spiritual significance to their labor: “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men” (Eph. 6:7). An effective way to shift our perspective from serving men to serving God is through time spent talking with the Lord about our work.

Prayer-what a practical idea!

-Joseph M. Winger

Every Home for Christ International

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Leadership Fall 1993 p. 46-7

Copyright © 1993 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.

Also in this issue

The Leadership Journal archives contain over 35 years of issues. These archives contain a trove of pastoral wisdom, leadership skills, and encouragement for your calling.

WRAPPING UP A LONG PASTORATE

ANIMAL INSTINCTS

PEOPLE IN PRINT

ICONS EVERY PASTOR NEEDS

WHY WON’T I PRAY WITH MY WIFE?

TIME TRACKING

REGARDING RESULTS

GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD PASTORS

FROM THE EDITORS

KEEPING CONNECTED TO SPIRITUAL POWER

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MINISTERIAL BUNIONS

A GREAT PLAINS MINISTRY

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WHEN NOT TO CONFRONT

ZONED OUT

THE LANDMARK SERMON

WHEN TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC

The Unique Network of a Small Church

GOING TO YOUR LEFT

HOW PASTORS PRACTICE THE PRESENCE

CLOSE UP

TO VERIFY

A CLEARER CALL FOR COMMITMENT

ADDING BREADTH AND DEPTH

WHEN'S IT'S A SIN TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS

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WEIGHING THOSE WEDDING INNOVATIONS

PASTORING STRONG-WILLED PEOPLE

Case Study: The Entrenched and Ineffective Worker

A WOUNDED PASTOR'S RESCUE

THE SLY SABOTEUR

TO VERIFY …

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

CLASSIC CREATIVITY

THE TOP-10 “LAST WORDS IN YOUR CHURCH”

MAKING SENSE OF THE TRAUMA

Standing in the Crossfire

BENEFITS OF AN INTENTIONAL INTERIM

THE BACK PAGE

WARS YOU CAN'T WIN

UNLIKELY ALLIES

THE HIGH-TURNOVER SMALL CHURCH

Handing Your Baby to Barbarians

TO ILLUSTRATE…

PEOPLE IN PRINT

TO VERIFY…

ARE PASTORS ABUSED?

BUILDING YOUR ALL-VOLUNTEER ARMY

HEART TO HEART PREACHING

IDEAS THAT WORK

WHEN YOU TAKE A PUBLIC STAND

REKINDLING VISION IN AN ESTABLISHED CHURCH

WAYS TO SHAKE OFF THE DUST

WHAT’S DRAMA DOING IN CHURCH?

THE DANGER OF DETAILS

THE BACK PAGE

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

SQUEEZE PLAY AT HOME

A POWERFUL PRESENCE

PRACTICING THE ORIGINAL PASSION

MAKING PEACE IN A WAR ZONE

THE WELL-FED IMAGINATION

RAISING YOUR CREATIVITY QUOTIENT

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FROM THE EDITORS

THE BACK PAGE

SAINTWATCHING

CAN YOU TEACH AN OLD CHURCH NEW TRICKS?

Spiritual Disciplines for the Undisciplined

BREAKING THE GRUMBLERS’ GRIP

WHEN YOUR CHILDREN PAY THE PRICE

THE CONCILIATION CAVALRY

DANCING WITH DEFEAT

IDEAS THAT WORK

THE TIGHTER ZONING DEFENSES

BUSTING OUT OF SERMON BLOCK

PEOPLE IN PRINT

How to Spend the Day in Prayer

REVERSING CHURCH DECLINE

THE JOY OF INEFFICIENT PRAYER

IF YOU HAVE A GRIPE, PRESS 2

CULTIVATING CLOSENESS

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE A FOREIGNER

BAPTISM IN A COFFIN

SONGS THAT FIT THE FLOW

FROM THE EDITORS

THE QUEST FOR CONTENTMENT

THE CUTTING-EDGE TRADITIONAL CHURCH

CAN SERVANTS SAY NO?

PEOPLE IN PRINT

THE BACK PAGE

CARING FOR THE CONFUSED

A MODEL WORSHIP SET

WIRING YOURSELF FOR LIGHTNING

A Pastor's Quarrel with God

DIAGNOSING YOUR HEART CONDITION

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