Prayer requires patience. Oftentimes, a duration of time exists between when we pray to God, and when we receive from Him. So is it, as some believers argue, a lack of faith to pray to God about the same thing more than once?
Jesus spoke a parable to the intent that “men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1, KJV). He used the example of a woman coming before an unjust judge. This woman came before the judge several times with the same request. It was only through her persistence before the judge that he granted her request.
“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? Jesus asked (verse 7). Some may argue that crying day and night to God does not mean to pray to God about the same thing more than once. But based on the parable, praying to God about the same thing more than once is consistent with the parable.
Jesus and Paul Prayed to God More Than Once
Let us consider the two people I believe are the best examples in the New Testament—Paul and Jesus. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh,” which he referred to as a messenger of Satan. He said, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me” (2 Cor. 12:8, KJV).
That means he prayed to God three times about the same thing. Should we consider this to be a lack of faith because this great apostle prayed thusly? I think not.
But just in case someone says Paul was wrong to do so, let’s consider Jesus. Before His apprehension to be crucified, He prayed at Gethsemane. He wanted the bitter cup He was about to drink to pass from Him. He prayed this prayer a second time. “And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words” (Matthew 26:44, KJV).
So, Jesus also prayed to God about the same thing more than once.
We conclude that it is not unbiblical for us to pray to God about the same thing more than once. Moreover, our doing so is not necessarily a lack of faith. Our faith in God is not merely a function of how many times we pray about the same thing.
To judge a person as not having faith just because he prays to God about the same thing more than once is absolutely nonsense. Yet there are some believers who consider that to be a lack of faith.
The evidence that we have prayed in faith is not that things change immediately. Oftentimes, a duration of time exists between when we pray and when we receive from God. I believe the evidence that we have prayed in faith is that the peace of God and confidence rule in our heart after we pray (Phil. 4:7; 1 John 5:14).
Copyright © 2023 by Frank King. All rights reserved.