Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
As we approach the topic of prayer, let’s begin with an assessment. Carefully consider the following five questions . . . but before you do, make a commitment. Commit to telling yourself the honest truth, no matter how uncomfortable it feels. Unless you reveal them, no one will ever know your answers except the Lord.
First, are you satisfied with your prayer life?
Second, do you pray with confidence?
Third, when someone says to you, “Please pray about this,” do you? After three days have passed, are you able to recall the prayer request well enough to follow up with the friend or family member?
Fourth, if you were asked to name four or five specific matters you have taken to the Lord in prayer this past week, could you do so without hesitation?
Fifth, is your time in the Word of God balanced with time in meaningful prayer?
Now, let’s grade your quiz.
If you answered yes to all five questions, I would greatly appreciate you praying for me!
If you answered yes to three or four, I commend you, but I’d say that you have some room for improvement. However, the people you lead should be grateful that the Lord is in charge of the organisation.
If you had to respond with no four or five times, I have good news! Your journey to becoming a more effective leader is about to take a giant leap forward. The discipline of prayer will do more to equip you than any leadership manual or seminar, more than any new insight or impressive strategy.
The Lord already wants to provide what’s best for us and those we lead, so we don’t need to do anything to persuade or convince Him. However, that’s not to say that how we approach the discipline of prayer is irrelevant. Nehemiah’s example in Nehemiah 9:5–38 illustrates several principles that every leader would do well to study and implement.
I challenge you to set aside an afternoon, find a place where you can be alone, and compose a prayer using Nehemiah’s model. Write it out, taking each of the four dimensions in order. Think about your organisation and compose a prayer that looks up, looks back, and looks in. Then allow the experience to suggest how to move the organisation forward as you look ahead. If nothing specific comes to mind, make that your petition: “Lord, help me discover the best path forward.”
