Pray Selflessly

This morningI was convicted while I was praying . I was praying for some people that have irritated me. I was praying that God would change them so they would stop bugging me. The truth is I wanted them to be different so my life would be easier.
In a gentle and loving way God brought to my mind the selfishness of my prayer. Questions started surfacing. One of these questions was, “Do you love these people?”

My kneejerk reaction was “Of course, I love them.”

The voice of the Spirit touched my mind with this thought. “Is it a selfless love that seeks their eternal best interest above all?”

I had to answer, “No, not at all.”

I realized that I loved me the most. I wasn’t putting the others’ interests above my own. I remembered these verses. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4, ESV)

I started to think about the difference that it would make if I prayed selflessly instead of selfishly. I realized that it actually benefits me more than being selfish. I discovered three benefits to changing my motivations.

3 Reasons to pray selflessly

First, my prayer will be answered. “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14, ESV) I am praying in my own name and from my world view when I pray selfishly. When I pray selfishly, I am not likely to have my pray answered. When I pray in the name of Jesus, I am praying with His blessing on my prayer, this requires selflessness.

Next, my attitude will change. When I put the problem in God’s hand, I no longer stress or worry over it. By taking myself and my will out of the equation, I become free. When I no longer have a stake in the outcome I can trust God completely. As long as I am praying toward a specific outcome, I am trying to retain control and power over the situation. This control breeds tension and anxiety as I am on pins and needles waiting to see if my every wish comes true. Giving up my selfish plan allows God “to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20, ESV)

The last benefit will be a positive change in my life and character. I will learn to grant grace to the ones that have wronged me. As I look less at me and more at God, I realize the goodness that was poured out on me when I was undeserving. This love compels me to show goodness to those I deem undeserving. This is becoming like Jesus. This is surrender. We must show grace to those that oppose us. With the knowledge that God’s love changes people, we must be like Jesus and demonstrate His love to the world.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV) The least I can do is pray selflessly for the sinners that I encounter. It will be best for them and best for me.