Day 8 - Principle 3: Keep your appointment

Keep your appointment.  That seems simple - and obvious - enough.  

Here's the kicker:  Keep your appointment even when you don't feel like it.

You won't always feel like praying.  Sometimes it will feel as if you're just going through the motions, as if there's a brass ceiling right above your head and, as soon as the words leave your mouth, they crash to the ground.  Pointless, useless, wasted.  No God within a thousand knots.

But prayer isn't a matter of feeling.  It is an act of faith.  It is not based on your mood.  It is based on the sure foundation of God's word.

According to His word He will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5 - he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.).

According to His word, we should pray at all times (1 Thes 5:17 - Pray without ceasing.).

It is also simply good manners.  If you've agreed to meet a friend you do not just stay away.  The Friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov 18:27) is worthy of at least that much courtesy.

In 15 Ways to a More Effective Prayer Life Selwyn Hughes identifies three reasons why it is particularly beneficial to pray when we don't feel like it:

1. The meek submission of our will deepens our spiritual life. God resists the proud but He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6 and 1 Pet 5:5).  The more we submit our will to His, the easier it becomes to follow Him in everything.
2. Our resolution to engage in prayer greatly strengthens thought control.  If you have difficulty to control your thoughts, you need practice.  The more you practice, the easier it becomes.
3. Committing ourselves to prayer when we don't feel like it develops powerful muscles in our faith.  Remember, it is faith that moves mountains (Matt 17:20), it is by faith that you can become a deep sea gardener (Luke 17:6).  Most important of all, it is only with faith that we can please God (Heb 11:6)