MythBusters workshop sign lit with sparks and people working inside

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Eph. 6:18 NLT)

Did you ever watch that show? The stars of Mythbusters, Adam and Jamie, attempted to prove or disprove any manner of myths relating to the physical sciences. Some of their most popular episodes involved driving a small plane on a treadmill to see if it could generate enough airspeed for take off, and building/flying a hot air balloon made entirely of lead. I didn’t see many of the episodes, but I do recall enjoying the experience whenever a particular myth was exposed for what it was – a myth! Fact had overridden superstition.

Myths come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, and oftentimes they can’t be proven or disproven by the physical sciences, but they can still be assessed and addressed if we’re willing to put in a little leg work.

Our church’s prayer team has been going through a short series where we identify some of the the common misconceptions – or “myths” – surrounding prayer. Some of these myths are more obvious than others, but you might find yourself relating to one or two of these misconceptions. Here are a few examples:

  1. Prayer is best left to the experts – prayer warriors and grandmas. (False)

Prayer warriors and grandmas are certainly welcome to pray, but so are you. As I’ve thought about this strange myth surrounding prayer, it strikes me that the people we consider to be “prayer warriors” are, in most cases, simply people who take Jesus’ words seriously (and Paul’s… and Peter’s… and all of the other New Testament authors for that matter). I believe there are people with a special gift, or heart, for the ministry of intercession, but they don’t have exclusive rights to it. I, myself, have been a regular part of our church’s prayer team for several years, and I don’t have the “gift” of intercession like many of the others do. So why do I join? Why should you join your church’s prayer team? Because I believe it’s impossible to build a healthy and thriving relationship with God without speaking with Him on a daily, or near-daily basis. Our prayers develop organically over time, just as our conversations with the people we love most develop over time. If your prayers look and sound the same today as they did last month, or last year, you might have grown stagnant in your faith. Be intentional to seek God diligently through regular prayer times and the study of His word. Don’t just leave this for the “experts” and grandmas.

  1. Prayer is a grim duty, or displeasurable activity. (False)

It’s true that prayer can be hard work, because it takes intention. Richard Foster even dedicated an entire chapter on what he calls the “discipline of prayer.” And if we’re being honest, there are, and will be times in our lives when we don’t really feel like praying, and must discipline ourselves for the greater joy and freedom that’s found in the results of a thriving prayer life. But prayer can also be spontaneous and joyful. I’m often amazed by God when I look out across the mountains, or vast oceans, or even in the delicate symmetry of a rose or echeveria. This is, in part, because one of my sacred pathways – the ways in which I most easily connect with God – is through nature, His good and beautiful creation. You might consider spending some time to figure out what your own sacred pathways are, and then prioritizing these as a central part of your regular and spontaneous prayer times. Who know? It might just change your world!

  1. Prayer is entirely, or mostly about us talking and telling God all of the things we want. (False)

Jesus, surprise surprise, is not a cosmic vending machine. Neither is He a silent confession booth where we air all of our dirty laundry and then walk away before He has a chance to reply. Prayer is a conversation with God, so it’s actually quite rude for us to monologue and then leave without giving God a chance to speak. In fact, Richard Foster goes so far as to suggest that “prayer is mainly listening.” Do you struggle with the listening aspect of prayer? If so, you might try asking God to speak to you in some undeniable way this week. Ask Him to open your ears to hear, and your eyes to see. You might also want to go back and read my blog post on “The Voice of God.” Of course, our prayer times often do include time where we talk to God, and some of this also includes our petitions and intercessions (telling God the things we want for ourselves and others). It’s just that this isn’t the ONLY aspect, or even the most important aspect of prayer. Learn to cultivate good listening skills, and see if your prayers don’t radically improve and grow both in depth and in sweetness.

A man in white traditional clothing bending forward to look closely at a vending machine filled with drinks and snacks
  1. Prayer is a last resort. (False)

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16). In fact, we see several of Jesus’ prayers recorded in the gospels, and we know he must have prayed often because his disciples even came up to Him and asked a most wonderful of requests: “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:11). Paul later admonished the church in Ephesus (and us, by extension) to “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Eph. 6:18) It’s similar to his general admonishment to the church in Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing.” Imagine the power of the Christian church if each one of us took these words and put them into practice!

  1. Prayer is boring. (False)

To quote the honorable reverend Steven Furtick (I hope he doesn’t mind me quoting him here): “Prayer’s not boring – you’re boring!” If we think that prayer is a boring or unpleasant task, we offer a preposterous insult to the most interesting and creative being in the entire cosmos. What is prayer but conversing with God? If your conversation with God is boring, I can guarantee you it isn’t His fault. He is literally infinitely interesting and engaging. He knows and cares about everything that you know or care about. If you think prayer is boring, then stop making it boring. Need a place to start? Try asking God for some new and fresh ways to “spice up” your prayer life. You might just be surprised by how fun it can really be.

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