What makes prayer so difficult? Is it because we can't see Christ with our natural eyes but find ourselves addressing an empty room? Could it be the distractions and demands of the day make it difficult to focus?
Or is there something about prayer that is so personal that some feel uncomfortable because the heart speaks words in a secret place more honest than in public spaces? Words that bubble up from deep within the soul that cause tears to fall or a fist to clench in anger.
Or is prayer difficult because of the unseen war of demonic powers that will do anything to shut our mouths from calling out to Jesus?
When Jesus was in the garden, he left his disciples to go and pray only to find them asleep. It says, "When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy." (Matthew 26:43). In other words, their eyes were weighted down by sorrow.
Prayer is difficult because we must see through the eyes of faith into an unseen realm where God dwells. Only the Holy Spirit can enlighten our spiritual eyes.
Otherwise, our eyes will soon grow heavy from unbelief and a milky-like cataract forms over the lens of our eyes. No longer can we see beyond the natural realm. We stop praying because we fail to believe God is still at work!
Yes, Christ was going to die but He would be resurrected in three days - something the disciples hadn't fully understood in the present so they could not enter into the fullness of joy despite the suffering and pain.
They witnessed the Lord beaten and mocked. He would be forced to carry His cross until another had to carry it. He would be nailed to a crude, wooden cross, the Son of God, once a carpenter in his youth. He was exposed, bleeding and dying being suspended between heaven and earth.
When the Lord prayed in the garden it says, "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven (emphasis mine), and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:" (John 17:1 KJV).
It seems Jesus never lowered his eyes while on the cross except to direct John to take care of His mother, Mary and when He bowed His head and died.
The next time we take time to pray, let's open our eyes and lift up our heads toward heaven (Psalms 121:1). Let's pray God, open our hearts and give us understanding. Take away the veil of unbelief that causes these eyes to become heavy with sleep!
Seeing is not always believing but the prayer of faith is truly believing what is unseen is real!
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV).
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