Day 23

Week 4, Day 23: Persistence as we wait for Breakthrough-The Persistent Widow

Luke 18:1-8

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?””

I sat on the side of my bed and told the Lord that I was done praying about it. I had been praying for more than a decade, asking God to move in an area where I was desperate to see healing and transformation. I explained how I was tired of putting words to my longing. I told him “You already know this! I don’t want to keep praying and hearing “no”. It feels pointless”

Maybe you’ve been there too? I think a lot of us have. I hope you’ll take heart in hearing the parable of the persistent widow. In Luke 18, Jesus tells his disciples a parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” The short version is that a widow goes to a terrible judge who admits that he doesn’t care what anyone thinks –not even the Lord. She pleads her case for justice, and he basically blows her off. She keeps going to him again and again. Over and over, he sends her away unsatisfied, until, finally, he decides to help her just so that she will stop bothering him. At this point Jesus compares this heartless judge to the righteous and compassionate Judge, God the Father. “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” If even a corrupt judge can eventually do the right thing, how much more will our good and loving Father.

I believe there are two important questions we should ask ourselves, when it comes to persistent prayer:

First, do you think of yourself as the desperate widow? When we are hoping to see breakthrough, sometimes we pursue change in our own strength. We look at our own resources and we try to take control. We might even resort to manipulation to try and make things the way we are sure they are supposed to be. What is beautiful about the posture of the desperate widow is that she wasn’t under any illusion that she could control her situation. She was totally dependent on the provision of the judge. She knew it and she acted like it. Her only hope was to be persistent and put all her hope in him. Is all your hope in the Judge? Are you persistently going to the Father, our righteous Judge, with your longing? 

The second question is: how well do you know your Judge?  The widow was forced to deal with a selfish judge who had no interest in making things right. The Enemy may try to tell you that God is the same – that he doesn’t care, that he is focused on more important things, that his timing is off, or that he doesn’t have the power to bring breakthrough. In order to recognize those lies, you have to know your Judge! Psalm 145 says “The Lord is gracious and compassionate… He opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living thing.” 1 John 5 tells us that “If we ask anything according to His will, he hears us… we know that we have what we asked of him.” And Jeremiah 32 reminds us that our God is mighty: “Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you.” As you come to Him in prayer, remember that our Judge is filled with compassion, He wants to satisfy us, and nothing is too hard for him!

It’s been years since I told God I was "done praying about it". Thankfully, my posture didn’t last too long, and I reengaged in petitioning my Father for change. At times it seemed like things were improving, and I gave God praise for working on my behalf. But then sometimes it would get harder again, and I learned to praise God for the strength He was giving me to bear up under it. It’s been a struggle to not try and take control and a challenge not to doubt God’s goodness or His love for me. I still haven’t seen all the healing I hope for, but because I continue to pray, I see God moving in my heart and bringing about beautiful change in both my circumstances and in me. My dependence on Him has deepened and my worship of Him has become lifegiving. “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5-6

Listening Prayer: Lord, help me as I struggle to be persistent in prayer. Show me where I am seeking to control instead of depending wholly on You. Show me where I have listened to the lies of the Enemy that say you lack the love or the power to help me. 

Prayer: God, I praise you because you are a righteous, loving and powerful God, You are a sun and shield; You bestow favor and honor. No good thing do you withhold from those whose walk is blameless (Psalm 84:11).  

Resources: Bible Verses on Persistence in Prayer

Colossians 4:2 

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Ephesians 6:18  

“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Psalm 40:1-3 

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”

Psalm 27:14  

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Romans 12:12  “

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Worship songs:
Waymaker - Leeland:

God Turn It Around - Church of the City / Jon Reddick: