“You are unworthy.”
Boy, is that ever true. Fortunately, that’s beside the point. Psalm 130:3 tells us if the Lord should mark iniquities, no one would stand. God is not dealing with perfect people. All have sinned; there is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10,23). The wonderful old hymn says, “Christ receiveth sinful men, even me with all my sin.”
So, being unworthy is no excuse.
“You are weak.”
I am that. However, there’s good news. “He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in your weakness…. When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
So, being weak is no excuse.
“Your faith is small.”
It is that. But in Luke 17:6 Jesus says even faith as small as a mustard seed can achieve miracles. So the question becomes not how big my faith is, but whether I use it. Jesus asked the panicked disciples, “Why did you fear? Where is your faith?” (Mark 4:40)
Having a small faith is no excuse. Faith is like radioactivity in that a little goes a long way.
“You do not know whether the Lord will answer your prayers.”
That’s true, because He is all-wise and I’m not. I see through a glass darkly and pray just that poorly. But ultimately, I say, “Not my will, but Thy will be done” (Matthew 26:39).
I’m perfectly content to send up my prayers and leave the answering of them to the Lord. What I must not do is announce presumptuously that the Lord “will” or “must” grant my prayer since His integrity is at stake. Psalm 115:3 says, “Our God is in the Heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” And knowing His wonderful character, that’s what I want.
So, not knowing how He will answer is no reason not to pray. I trust Him.
“You’re only one person; what good will your prayers do?”
I smile at this one. This was my response when the Lord once asked me if I prayed for Billy Graham (who was sitting in the chair to my right at the time). I said, “Lord, people all over the world pray for Billy Graham, and I’m only one person.” The utter ridiculousness of that hit me in that moment, and I almost laughed out loud. Do you know anyone who is two people? Three people? A crowd? Anyone praying is one person. Everything that gets done by prayer occurs because of this one person praying, and that one and the next one.
Being just one person—I’m smiling—is no reason not to pray. Otherwise, no one would!
