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And now, here's James. So, do you ever feel like your prayers don't make any difference, like they bounce off the ceiling and seem to get you nowhere? You don't like feeling that way, and you might not tell anyone. But can we talk?
I mean, it happens, doesn't it? Especially when we're up against discouraging circumstances, and maybe you've prayed and prayed and prayed, but nothing seems to change. What do you do at a time like that? Oh, that's a great intro, Robbie, because we've all felt that way at times, and this is where we need so much encouragement, and the truth is that encouragement will come as we continue to pray. But if we're super discouraged, that can just sound like a platitude, you know, a high five when you're drowning. I mean, just keep praying doesn't seem like much of an answer.
So, where do we go with it? Well, good question, but there's a story in Mark 5 that I think gives us a clue. Jairus is a leader in the synagogue, and of course he's a community leader, and he's come to Jesus pleading, my little daughter is dying, please come and put your hands on her so that she'll be healed and live. You know the story, you know that while they're on the way there, this woman presses close to Jesus in the crowd because she needs to be healed herself, and Jesus stops until the woman is found, you know, she finally comes forward, and Jairus is waiting this whole time, and while this is happening, you know, someone from his house arrives and says, your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher anymore? And Jesus overhears this and turns to Jairus and says, and this is the key thing, don't be afraid, just believe. Right, and we know how the story turns out, Jesus heals her, actually raises her from the dead, and nobody expected that at all. Exactly, and the practical thing would be to say, well if we're looking at all of this as a prayer story, which it is in many ways because he's come to Jesus with a request, it's kind of that way we look at life sometimes. It says, you know, that thing you're asking God for is too big, it isn't going to happen, and that's the normal and natural response, but faith, and this is where I think we need to go with this, where Jesus is pointing us, that faith does something different. That's what we really have to look at. Okay, but let me push back a bit, haven't we all had that experience of praying for someone's situation to change and it doesn't, or even praying for someone to get well and they die? I mean, we believe that God is able to raise the dead, but we don't see it every day. That's a very fair point, and usually, admittedly, normally that is the case, but I think we should say that if our eyes are just on the outcome, and I want to say that so carefully and gently, but if our eyes are just on the outcome, that thing that we're looking for, that maybe we're not looking as broadly as we should.
So, okay, what do you mean? Well, first, yes, we don't want to limit what God can do, but the question is, where are we looking? If we're looking only at the outcome, we're not going to find the strength and hope and comfort that we need. We have to look to God himself, and I think that's where Jesus is going when he says, don't be afraid, just believe. It's not just about what Jairus is asking for, although admittedly that's part of it, but Jesus is saying to him in that moment, trust in me, believe in me.
He's the one who's standing right in front of Jairus in that moment, so I think that's where the emphasis is. Don't be afraid, just believe in me. Aw, man, that's hopeful. It makes me think of Hebrews 11 again, the chapter of faith, where it talks about people who are living by faith, but they're living that way because their eyes are on God more than anything else.
Right, right. Again, I think that's where this goes. Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in chapter 3 of Daniel, who, you know, tell the king that he's able to save them from the fire that he's, you know, about to toss them into, but then they add, but even if he does not, you know, we're going to worship him only, and what we see in this is that sometimes we have to go through the fire. You know, Jesus himself told us that we'd have hardships and troubles, and that can be heartbreaking, and we can wonder where God is, but, you know, the question is, will we still do what Jacob did after he goes through, you know, you're mentioning Hebrews 11, he goes through this trouble of, you know, not seeing his son for decades, and the famine, and the loss, and he's old, and he's dying, and what does he do? Hebrews 11 tells us he worships as he leans on his staff.
So I see where you're going with this. We have to keep worshipping even when we don't get it, even when we don't understand. We have to keep believing in God because if we don't, we're going to miss his goodness that can come to us at any moment.
What was it King Nebuchadnezzar said? There's another in the fire, and he looks like the son of the gods. Sometimes we still go into the fire, but is it there that we meet God? Yeah, yeah, if they hadn't gone into the fire, then they wouldn't have met him there, and by the way, I think that that's a pre-New Testament appearance of Jesus in that circumstance, and Jesus has promised to never leave us or forsake us, so we have to do this, you know, not out of that kind of thinking that denies the reality of our circumstances and says, you know, just keep going with God, but with a deeper faith that says, even if you don't answer what I'm asking, you are my everything. You are the only way I'm going to get through this, and this is so important for our spiritual battles as well because sometimes the devil unloads on us, and remember what Israel did when they were, you know, in those times of their history when they were walking with God, what they did when they were going into battle? Yeah, they put the priests in the front of the army, right? Asking them to praise God and lifting him up. Yeah, right, but just imagine if you're that priest.
I mean, man, you know, it takes faith. I mean, I'm out here without weapons. Weapons are all behind me, you know, and here comes the other country, and they've got theirs, but, you know, as the praise song says, this is how I fight my battles. Oh, I love that song. They might say I'm surrounded, you know, but I'm surrounded by you.
Exactly. God's love is perfect, and he'll never leave us or forsake us. He said that, you know, even though sometimes it doesn't feel that way, and yet we need to keep worshipping because his light will fill our darkness, come what may, and push it back. It is the only place to stand.
It is the only place to be. Oh, I love this, James, and I think our listeners will really find it encouraging, too. So would you finish this up with a prayer? Abba, Father, we need you. We need you, and we just come to you and ask, help us to just keep looking to you. Jesus, help us to keep our eyes on you. We love you, and we praise you that you love us more. Keep us close, we pray in your name. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.
