Lent: With One VoiceSample

ONLY BY PRAYER

YouTube is full of videos putting other people’s failures on display. Whether it be a skateboarder crashing, bridesmaids tripping, or grooms passing out from anxiety, there is something oddly satisfying about watching others’ failures. And if we don’t know the people, we simply laugh, somewhat immune from the actual embarrassment it may have caused.

Here we have an incident in which the disciples fail. And I relate, knowing how many times I’ve failed as well. They tried to heal the boy, but they could not. For a while the disciples were left to manage their reputation and somehow recover from their public failure. And then Jesus arrives, the boy is healed, and an explanation is provided.

Only by prayer. Sometimes God may allow you to fail so that you remember the power of Jesus is what is needed. If our failures point us to deeper dependency and worship, then from heaven’s perspective, they are successes.

FOR REFLECTION
• What is an area in life in which you have experienced failure or shame? How might God want to redeem it for good?
• ‘Only by prayer’ is a powerful phrase to remember. What seems impossible in your life right now that can be accomplished ‘only by prayer’?

PRAYER
Father, I confess to You my ongoing tendency to desire control. I confess that in most cases, I think I can do things better. Increase my faith, Lord. Allow me to more readily release my problems to You. And in my failures, may You be glorified.