When Prayer is Dangerous
When I first heard the term “praying dangerously,” I was still a young teenager trying to understand a real, conversational relationship with an almighty God. At the time, I was amazed that I had never heard about this idea before. I was captivated by it and at times a bit scared to think too deeply about it. Since then I’ve been slowly learning to pray dangerously and wondering why we don’t talk about this more.
What does it mean to pray dangerously? A dangerous prayer is asking God for opportunities that do not immediately benefit us, with no thought of ourselves; asking God to give us opportunities of growth, chances to show His love to others, or opportunities to share the gospel.
“When praying for opportunities to grow, one cannot pray timidly. ”
When praying for these things, one must pray in complete faith that God will hear the prayer and answer it. Of course, faith in prayer is always necessary, but when praying for opportunities to grow, one cannot pray timidly. Because when we pray for things that are completely aligned with God’s will and what He teaches, does He not answer them?
John writes in 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
Of course God will answer those prayers! If you ask Him to, God will give you many opportunities to exercise your patience, or act unselfishly, or to share God’s love with others.
“Am I willing to walk through the doors God will inevitably open?”
The question then is not, “will God open those doors,” but “am I willing to walk through the doors God will inevitably open.” Therein lies the danger. Will you risk asking God for things that will stretch you and possibly be uncomfortable for you? Do you have the courage to ask God to give you a heart that beats the same rhythm as His? Do you dare to pray dangerously?
About the Author
Tina calls Northwestern Pennsylvania her home where she enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, reading captivating and educational books, spending time in coffee shops, and occasionally engaging in an active lifestyle via biking, rock climbing, hiking, and running. She values the power of words and loves to see writing change and impact lives. If you’d like to contact her directly, you can reach her at tina.thesimpledesignco@gmail.com.
