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Rom 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Three things we struggle to hold tight are joy, patience, and prayer. Prayer that strengthens faith births hope (the expectation of good). It lifts it into an assured and joyful expectancy. Furthermore our patience in tribulation is empowered by grace, which will be seen as we “perseverance in prayer.” Hopefully when we consider perseverance in prayers, we do not look at it from duty standpoint but rather as a delight. Jesus in John 11 came to resurrect Lazarus. He who had the power to call him out of the grave had as well the power to command the stone covering the tomb to move, but “Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”, (John 11:39).

The delight we have as believers is that we are called to partner with Christ in accomplishing His purposes. We push the rock, He does the moving. As the rock moves, we rejoice for He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it (Phi 1:6). With patience we yield to His working our faith and character. We strive to be constant in prayers because He moves as we pray. Stones (obstacles) are removed as we pray. He calls dead Lazarus to life for the glory of His name as we pray.

In light of all these, “Prayer should not be regarded “as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.” E.M. Bounds.