Key scripture- “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:7–8, ESV)

What’s the worst thing happening in your life right now?

Pastor, James McDonald says that it could be something personal and private, known only to you and perhaps one or two others. It might be relational tension in your marriage or between you and one of your children. It could be a season of major stress at work or school. It could be a major health problem, a current threat on the world stage, or a particular worry about your kids or grandkids away at college. It could be anything. It is the worst thing you can think of, and you do think of it a lot, ten, twenty, thirty times throughout the day, if not all day. But let me ask you, “How much longer have you been thinking about it than praying about it?”

The widow in Jesus’ parable from Luke 18 represented someone enduring one of the worst crises imaginable. Like every widow, her husband’s death was a problem entirely outside her control. Furthermore, and as you yourself might attest, if you’ve ever dealt with being wronged, abused, neglected, or betrayed, her experience of injustice was among the hardest things anyone ever faces. Then to top it all off, the judge in her town, the only one capable of helping her, was absolutely disinterested and unmotivated to do anything about it. She was on her own. With no avenue for appeal. Without a prayer. Yet she kept on coming and coming.

“In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:2-8).

Through her story, God gives us all the reason we need for persisting in prayer ourselves. For if the epitome of a cruel, unjust, atheistic, self-centered government official, “a judge who neither feared God nor respected man” (Luke 18:2) could be moved to action on this widow’s behalf, why would our Father not be moved to bless and assist His children? “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). After already giving us His best, what would possibly prevent God from giving us the rest?

When we do not persist in prayer, it boils down to a failure on our part to understand the character of God. Because anyone who knows the Father’s heart, or what the Son has given, or who follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit realizes what’s available to us through the vehicle of prayer.

God’s known character is proof enough: God is just, bringing justice to His people; God is good, acting on our behalf; God is attentive, always hearing the persistent prayers of those who come to Him with clean hands and a pure heart; God is holy, He is faithful to work on those parts of us that keep us from experiencing freedom and hopeful confidence, even as He responds to our prayers with compassion, grace, and power.

Many lean on the crutch of addiction instead of trusting God’s heart for what they need. Some depend on a drug prescription to satisfy what persistent prayer could resolve. Others continue nursing the wounds of their past because they don’t believe God is either willing or able to fill the emotional holes they feel they’ve been left to compensate for. Even if you think you’re watching the worst-of-the-worst unfold—even if it looks like it’s as bad as it can get, with the hope of relief looking like it is an impossible dream—trust the heart of God to prove your fears and discouragements wrong, and to prove Himself just and strong.

From this day forward, I want you to do this: Every time you think about your problem , pray about it. Start praying about it as much as You think about it.

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, You are good. You are just. You are Holy. You are love. You are merciful, gracious, compassionate and kind. I come before You today worshipping and remembering who You have been, and who You are. I praise Your Name, and I magnify You with thanksgiving. I seek You, and I know that You will answer me, and deliver me from all my fears. You save me from all my troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around me because I fear You, and You rescue me. (Psalm 34: 4, 6-7). I will do what You have commanded, which is, I will not be discouraged or afraid, because You are my God and You are with me wherever I go. (Joshua 1:9). I commit my ways and my path to You and I trust You to direct me, I put all my confidence in You, and I know that You will do this, You will spread out my righteousness like the sunrise spreads out over the land and You will provide justice for me. (Psalm 37:5-6). Every time I think about my problem, I will not worry or fret, instead I will pray about it. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.