Rhythms of Jesus – Week 1: The Discipline of Prayer

Day 3: Praying with Faith

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ~ James 5:16

Have you ever wondered if your prayers really make a difference? Sometimes, when answers seem delayed or circumstances don’t change, it’s easy to doubt. But Scripture assures us that prayer is powerful and effective—not because of our words, but because of the God who hears them.

Faith is the foundation of our prayers. Jesus told His disciples, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). This doesn’t mean prayer is a tool to get whatever we want, but that when we pray with faith, we trust in God’s power, wisdom, and perfect timing.

Faith-filled prayer is not about having the right words or an unshakable certainty that things will happen exactly as we expect. It is about believing that God is listening, that He cares, and that He is working—even when we can’t see it. When we bring our requests to Him with confidence, we acknowledge that He is in control, and we entrust our needs into His hands.

Prayer:
Father, I come to You with faith, even when I don’t understand everything. Help me to trust in Your goodness and power. Strengthen my belief that my prayers matter and that You are always at work. Increase my faith so that I may pray boldly, knowing that You hear me and that Your plans are always for my good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.