Praying Selflessly

One of the most interesting stories I've heard in a while comes from a preacher Dan Mohler. I spent all day yesterday detailing a friend's truck, my own car plus a few other things. While I did them, I listened to Dan's sermons on YouTube. I was listening and enjoying God's presence around me while I worked. Dan told a story about himself and his wife.

He hadn't been saved yet and he had made his wife miserable for 13 years. She prayed to God for all those years to change Dan and to make him a better husband and father so she could have a day when he wasnt being mean or verbally abusive. She became angry at God and at Dan. Then suddenly, at work God spoke to Dan's heart and he was changed into the man you see today. He's been walking with God ever since. When he finally became a Son, his wife was angry because she thought he was lying and not being genuine. She became angrier when she found out his change was real. She was mad at God for putting her through the 13 years of pain. She tried to catch Dan in hypocrisy to no avail. It didn't register to her that a complete 180° switch had been done in Dan's heart. One day while his wife was venting about why it took so long for God to do something, God replied, "You weren't praying for Dan to be changed out of selfless love. You prayed for him to change for you. I couldn't give you him changed while you were asking in self." Of course this story is being translated from my memory and I may have gotten some details wrong but the gist of the story is this, you cannot pray to God, who is selfless, for selfish things. 

If you pray for a spouse or anyone for that matter because you get something out of the prayer, it's a hindrance and not a help. We think we are being helpful when we go to God and ask Him to change someone. However, in our selfish request, we aren't praying for that person out of love. We pray because that person annoys you or is a thorn in your side. What if it's a co-worker and they continually aggravate you and you pray for them to come to know Jesus so you will benefit from it. Are we like Dan's wife, praying for change so we can get something from it.

God is a selfless loving person and He will not partake or even touch anything that is derived from selfishness. 

Can we even imagine a person that pure of heart. So pure, He cannot even think in a selfish manner let alone let someone else be selfish near Him. Our offerings therefore must be as pure as He is. Our prayers must be selfless. Our thoughts must be completely selfless. 

It is very unfamiliar to us and foreign. We are raised and marinated in the idea of taking care of ourselves first. We have seen the greediness of corporations and governments. We've seen the pursuit of likes on social media and it's all for self. The world runs on self first especially now. 

Scripture states that the love of most will grow cold and like cattle being taken to the slaughter,  we are following in the footsteps of those screaming "me first." Even those complaining about others being selfish are being selfish at heart.

The road to selfless behaviour is a road to God. The more we walk with Him down it, the better at it we become. The more we communicate with Him, the more He shows our motivations to be pure or not. 

So far, the story of Dan's wife has exposed my selfish prayer life wide open. Like her, I too prayed for selfish reasons. God has exposed my heart while I listened and cleaned. Funny, I just realised, while I was cleaning vehicles, God was cleaning me up too. He's so good, gentle and kind. Knowing my error, going forward it will be up to me to not do it again and I'm pleased obey. 

How can I not obey someone who selflessly sacrificed themselves for me, rescued me from my personal pit of self, cleaned me, clothed me in Himself and is continually cleaning me even now. My heart explodes with joy for knowing Him! 

The move from self to selfless is only done through knowing Him. Do not take this post as another rule to follow or it can become a ritualistic endeavour. That's how religion takes the place of relationship. Instead, pursue Him with all your heart, with all your soul and all your understanding and He will fill you with His selfless nature in due time.

To God be the Glory!