Faith: Final Hope

Prayer as a Last Resort? Try Prayer as a First Resort

Usually, the phrase "all we can do is pray" is uttered out of desperation, as a last resort when all else has failed. But what if we viewed prayer as more than just wishful thinking or sending good vibes?

Prayer is the invocation of the divine into our circumstance to effect transformation — formation above and over the circumstance. It is adding super to our natural.

As people of faith, why not make prayer our initial response to dire situations? This is not to discount the importance of action, but rather to recognize that true works and faith go hand in hand to create change.

By starting with prayer, we invite God into our circumstances, and in doing so, we open ourselves up to transformation. As the Christian scripture says, "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen."

Let's embrace prayer as a powerful tool for change, both within ourselves and in the world around us. As we pray with faith in God, may we also be transformed, so that we can be agents of transformation in the situations we face.

"All we can do, the best thing we can do, is pray."

The Rev. Jennifer Rousseau Cumberbatch is a lover of God, art, and people. She is a pastor, teacher, and counselor. This piece was originally published by Interfaith Action of Central Texas.