Prayer Power: Learning to Pray Like George MüllerSample

The Lord Is Our Shepherd

Do you believe that God will supply all your needs and that there is nothing you will want in this life?

George Müller believed it.

Sometimes, when I read about his life, I get a little discouraged. To use an analogy, if faith were a car, I would drive a Ford Model T while Müller cruised in a Lamborghini. His trust in God was like a gourmet meal compared to my “fast food” faith.

I take heart in knowing that Müller was not always a person of such strong faith and stellar character. As a young boy in the 1800s, Müller often stole from his father. He was once thrown into jail for not paying a hotel bill. When Müller attended Bible college, he was more likely to be found at a bar or in a back room gambling than in a scripture study group. He also mocked Christians for their faith.

In short, Müller trusted himself much more than in God.

Once, he was invited by a friend to attend an off-campus Bible study. Müller thought it would be interesting to go so that he could later make fun of the believers. However, he was surprised when he discovered that he actually enjoyed the Bible study. All of his former pleasures were dwarfed in comparison to what he felt when studying God’s Word and praying in the fellowship of believers. “Whether I fell on my knees when I returned home, I do not remember,” Müller recounted, “but this I know, that I lay peaceful and happy in my bed.” He attended another Bible study the next night and then the next. He began to be transformed by the compelling faith he saw in other believers and by their simple trust in God.

When Müller told his father that he felt called to become a missionary, his father became irate. He warned George that he would no longer pay for his schooling if he chose that path.

Müller returned to school not knowing how he would pay for his tuition. He decided to do something that many people, including Christians, might consider foolish. He got on his knees and asked God to provide. Shortly afterward, Müller was offered a paid tutoring job that was enough to cover his expenses. This was the beginning of his complete dependence on God.