Never Lose Heart
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1) Our Lord is sharing something essential with His disciples — prayer is the only way to maintain a hopeful outlook through the bleak seasons we are sure to experience. The prayerful saint is the hopeful saint, and Jesus wants our hope to flourish, so we must pray! Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46) Jesus told us we will suffer tribulation in this world; yet we are to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world, and we are found in Him. There are people and circumstances for which we would lose all hope apart from the assurance we receive from prayer and intercession. The Lord has ordained that life as His formula for spiritual sustenance and success. A praying saint may travail and suffer, he may struggle and wonder when God will answer, she may grapple with feelings of...