The Purpose of Prayer
In 2007 I went to Kenya on a mission trip. I started training with our other Summer Mission Teams even before our special trip was finalized. I wanted to be prepared so I went to training to pray even before if I knew I was going or not. On the trip, we (I) ran into multiple snags – it was not the smoothest trip. The biggest snags that happened on the trip was when I blew up the power supply on our server computer that we had preloaded and shipped from the US. I was being very careful about checking voltages on our equipment (I fried a battery charger in China). I had forgot to check the computer’s voltage, plugged it in, and turned it on. When smoke arose from the back of the computer and I realized what happened, I think some audible obscenities left my mouth. I was pissed, my team was pissed, and we had no idea what was going to happen. I had single-handedly jeopardized our whole trip.
I went for a walk. I was yelling at God. Why would this happen? Why would he let me make such a crucial mistake? I had prayed so much before the trip. I was the only one to seriously raise support for this trip. I had prayer partners back home praying for me and our trip. Why God! I had prayed against stuff like this. Why did you let this happen? I did not want to be in Kenya at that moment.
Everything worked out in the end. We were able to repurpose another computer and “accomplish” what we set out to do. But as I prepare for my trip to Kyrgyzstan, the question lingers: “Why did this happen?” I think today’s sermon by Dr. Solomon Aryeetey touched on the answer when he addressed suffering and the purpose of prayer. From my notes: “If our highest goal is comfort, then suffering is bad. If our highest goal is Christ-likeness then suffering is another one of God’s tools to get us there.” We suffer as a refining process of God. (You can reference my previous post for more about suffering.) Then the purpose of prayer should not be to escape suffering.
I pray to conform my will to God’s will. Not my will but thine be done – Luke 22:42 (KJV) I had this realization today while praying at Mission Training. I should not pray that this trip goes according to our plan. I need to be praying that I see God’s purpose for this trip. I need to pray that I learn the appropriate lessons when things happen. I need to learn patience when our equipment is lost. I need to learn to trust in his provision when equipment breaks. I need to learn faith when I lose my yellow fever vaccination card.
If God wants us to die on our way there or back, so be it. He is sovereign, my prayers will not change that – his will be done. We should not be praying to avoid suffering but be able to see Christ in the midst of it. As I prepare to go to Kyrgyzstan this summer, won’t you please pray for me that God’s will would be done in my life, my team’s life, the missionaries’ lives, and in all the people that we encounter. Please pray that we would all be able to see that all the things he is doing are marvelous, even if they are not according to our plan.