Praying with More Faith

I must share an excerpt from a devotional reading I was led to this morning.  It was about praying with faith and never praying in a doubtful way that is destructive to our faith leaving a door open to our enemy to increase our anxiety and weaken our trust in God.  God is strengthening my faith and this devotional underscored what God is doing in my life right now.

From Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman Jan. 4:

“You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings.  God gives us his promises in a quiet hour, seals our covenants with great and gracious words, and then steps back, waiting to see how much we believe.  He then allows the Tempter to come, and the ensuing test seems to contradict all that He has spoken.  This is when faith wins its crown.  This is the time to look up through the storm, and among the trembling, frightened sailors declare, ‘I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me’ (Acts 27:25)"  

In addition to praying for my husband’s healing, I’ve been praying for many in our local body of believers that are going through trials and suffering in ways that are hard to imagine.  I went to a funeral yesterday for a strong Christian mother who shared the love of God and prayed with real faith.  I've been praying for this family.  I’m praying for young girls suffering with physical pain.  I'm praying for military personnel entering harms way to protect our freedom.  I have to admit that sometimes it’s hard to know how to pray.  I'm learning to pray with deeper faith in God's promises.

I know that the Holy Spirit will intercede for me as I pray….Lord, What should I pray?  Heal them? Comfort them?  Give us Your peace?  Show Your mercy?  Take her to heaven?  We know You are already victorious over death.  Sometimes the only prayer that I can pray with real peace is “Thy Kingdom Come.”  Thank You Lord for the promise that we can share eternal life in Your perfect kingdom without trials, grief or pain.  As we wait for that kingdom, thank you for trials that strengthen our faith and bring us closer to YOU!