Don’t Give Up. Don’t Give In. Pray Continually.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances…” 1 Thessalonians 5:16
George Mueller was a man who believed in the power of prayer. He believed God was a loving God whose desire was to provide the needs of His people, and you should pray in all circumstances. Mueller was a pastor in Bristol, England, where he also ran an orphanage. One morning, the housemother came to see Mueller and said, “The children are dressed and ready for school, but there is no food for them to eat.” Mueller asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He then prayed; He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Mueller,” he said, “Last night I could not sleep. Somehow, I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.”
Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time they got it fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
Interestingly, George Mueller was not always a person of such great faith and good character. In fact, he was just the opposite for much of his life. One day, a friend invited George to go to an off-campus Bible study. He went only because he wanted to make fun of the Christians, but to his surprise, he liked the Bible study. For the first time, he saw people who really knew and loved God. He never missed one of those Bible studies. A few days later, he knelt at his bed and asked God to forgive his sins and for Jesus to be his Savior.
George’s friends saw a change in him immediately. He no longer went to bars or made fun of people. He spent more time reading his Bible, talking to God, going to church, and serving those in need. When George Mueller was a young convert, he began praying daily for five friends to come to know Christ as Savior. Two friends became Christians within a couple of years of his own conversion. But it seemed as if his prayers for the remaining three friends would never be answered. However, they were. One of those men was converted about ten years after Mueller. The fourth apparently was converted shortly before Mueller’s death, in response to what was probably Mueller’s last sermon. The fifth man came to Christ after attending Mueller’s funeral. George Mueller had been praying for him for more than sixty years!
Do you ever feel like your prayers are going unanswered – you’re praying and it doesn’t seem like God is even listening? How should you pray when you feel like God is not responding? How about: “Lord, strengthen me with the power of Your Holy Spirit, so that I will hold on and not give up.”
Don’t give up on your situation and give into your circumstances. Ask for God’s very best for your life, for your family, and for His church.
Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t be discouraged. Adopt a lifestyle of prayer and pray continually!