God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
When the river of suffering rages around you and you ignore prayer, there is no peace, righteousness, strength, growth, sustenance, joy, courage, and steadfastness. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians that the path to peace is prayer. This is one of the amazing benefits of suffering – you can fully expect to find your times of prayer with the Lord to be sweeter, more engaging, more passionate, and more focused. Don’t expect to accept the plan of God without doing so in prayer.
We must always, always remember that the theology of the Word of God is not an end in itself but a means to an end, and that end is a radically grace-transformed life.
