Although I had followed God for years, I never paid attention to prayer. I thought that prayer could not solve actual difficulties and that even if I prayed, the difficulties in the work still had to be solved by myself. So, at every meeting, I treated prayer as just a regulation to keep and I even felt it was a waste of time to pray. Sometimes, I directly started to talk about our work without praying when I met with the brothers and sisters. Over time I felt very empty in my heart, and when some things happened, I got confused and could not handle them properly.

One day, the leader asked me, “I’m going to have a meeting with the several assistants. Can you find us an appropriate host home for that?” I replied without thinking, “Yes, I can! An appropriate one is available in our place, and the sister is willing to do hosting.” Afterward, the leader, unassured of the matter, phoned me and asked me to go and make it sure. After hanging up, I went to that host home. I little expected that the sister did not want to do the hosting. Though I talked with her for over two hours, she still refused on the pretext of being busy. At that time, I was almost worried to tears, but she was still adamant in her refusal. Facing this situation, I was at a loss: What should I do? The leader is urgent to need this home, but here the sister still refuses. At the moment, I was very distressed, feeling that I had been at my wit’s end. Suddenly, I remembered God’s words, “In the future, without prayer, there will be no work. It is prayer that brings work, and it is prayer that brings service.” God’s words, like a beacon, lighted my way ahead. Then I said to the sister, “Sister, let’s pray together, shall we?” With tears over my face, I cried out to God, “O Almighty God! You have uplifted me and given me the commission, but I am so useless that I’m unable to fellowship about the truth clearly and better the sister’s state, thus causing your work to be hindered. O God! May you forgive our disobedience, have mercy on us once again, move our spirits, and change our hearts, so that we will care for your work.”

After the prayer, the sister suddenly changed her attitude and readily promised that she was willing to do the hosting. I was very excited at that. I never expected that the power of prayer could be so great. The problem, which had not been solved by my talk of over two hours, was solved easily by a prayer. In this matter, I saw that genuine prayer can change people’s hearts and make them obedient. The result achieved by prayer is really unimaginable. In the past, however, I always thought that prayer could not solve actual difficulties and it was a waste of time to pray. How ridiculous I was! Not until now have I understood that to pray is not only not a waste of time, but it can also practically settle many matters which people cannot discern and solve. And I have also understood that it was simply because I lacked genuine prayer that in this period I had no strength and confidence in doing the work and got confused when encountering difficulties.

From then on, I began to pay attention to the matter of prayer. No matter what I encounter, I consciously look to God and seek God’s intention. After practicing this way for a time, I feel my mind is clear, steady; and I can also have ways to work and do the work easily. Through this practical experience, I feel that the power prayer brings to man is infinite. Prayer is really so important!

Xiaomin

Xinyang City, Henan Province