“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”  – 2 Cor.3:18

Only a Beginning

Change is the promise of God. Life requires it. There is no growth without change. Our souls long for it. We may be content to sit in the same chair at the dinner table, but in matters of spirit, we recognize our need to grow and change. That need and longing is met by God’s powerful grace. The theological word to describe this change is conversion. We tend to think of conversion in the past tense, the first moment we placed our faith in Jesus. Jesus spoke of “a new birth from above.” Births are cause to celebrate, since everything begins at birth. But “begins” is the vital word. The conversion of new birth is the start of repeated and continual conversions. From miserly to generous. From anxious to faithful. From cantankerous to peace making.  From immoral to pure. From self-orientation to a servant heart. We are always in the process of change – until our last breath. If you feel like this is a very large “to do” list and sense obligation to make something internal happen, allow me to repeat myself. Change is the promise of God.

God’s To Do

Conversion is God’s work. His intent is not to simply make us better – but to make us new. He will grant what we do not have on our own – life which comes by the Spirit and reflects the Son. In the quote above, Paul teaches that as we behold the glory of God in His Son Jesus, the Spirit transforms us into Jesus’ image – bit by bit, step by step, from glory to greater glory. So, it’s clear that only God can convert us. We didn’t have the power to save our souls. We don’t have the power to shape them. The Biblical metaphors for spiritual formation speak clearly. Fruitful life comes to the branches because of the Vine (Jn.15:4). The Spirit sows, nurtures and reaps His fruit in us (Gal.5:22). The garment we wear is a new self, created by God (Col.3:10). We are dead as we drive, shop, work, worship, but Christ is life in our flesh (Gal.2:20). Repeatedly God tells us that spiritual work is His to do. Since passivity is not our path, what are we to do that God may work in us?

Prayer Is the Path of Change

Prayer is more than a means of change for the world around us. It is a path of conversion for the world within us. By prayer we confess both our faith and dependence as we turn our attention towards God. In prayer, the light of His Spirit reveals the shadows of my heart. In prayer there is an alignment to the Father’s will. In prayer, Jesus handles my fears tenderly. Conversion doesn’t happen all at once, and it may be hard for me to quantify. It’s like the seed, which Jesus said sprouts from shoot, stalk to fruit in ways we can’t explain. The process of conversion is a mystery. Yet, this I know. When I pray, I am changed. When I don’t, I wither.  That doesn’t mean that every time I pray something happens. Sometimes I am aware of His nearness and other times I feel lost in a whirlpool of my own thoughts. Some prayer sessions warm me. Some leave me cold. I have stopped trying to make anything happen and don’t over analyze my prayers. I don’t dig up the seed to see how much it has grown. But in the obedience of prayer, I place myself before Him and trust His Spirit. Shaping souls is His task. Sailors know that they can’t create the wind to move themselves forward. But they can set their sails. Prayer sets the sails of our soul to catch the breezes of God.

 

Look Within

So, I have taken a long time to address the titled question. How do I know my prayers are working? We are prone to looking for evidence around us. Answered prayers for provision and protection, loved ones coming to faith, circumstances shifted towards God’s glory. All these things point to an effective prayer life, but the ultimate measure is far more intimate. “Am I being changed?” If we are not being transformed by our prayers, then something is amiss. Prayer is not simply a tool for change around us. It is a relational connection with God by which He transforms us.  It is in my prayers that God does His deepest work. With that in mind, here are some considerations.

 

• Take time for personal reflection

If your prayers are all ask and no pause, build a time of reflection into your prayer patterns. Where do you see godly change? Where do you want and need improvement? For centuries, Christians have practiced an “examen,” a brief evening reflection of the day spent. Where did you sense the presence of God? Are there patterns in the day that need to be amended? Personal reflection can take several forms, but it is an essential element of our prayers.

 

• Look for the handiwork of God

Prayer is not a self-help book. It can’t become simply an inventory of positives and negatives. Prayer is a surrender to the things that God wants to address. He knows what we need and when we need it. We live under His evaluation. The patient does not dictate to the surgeon. We are looking for the hand of God within us.

 

• Look through a large window

A daily reflection may not reveal significant growth. But a reflection of a decade should. Deep change does not happen quickly. In fact, we may not be attuned to its motion. We may not notice a glacier shift, but it does move! Be patient with God’s pace. This is not a race, but a surrender.

 

• Trust a spiritual confidant

When it comes to the depths of our hearts, it is helpful to have someone walk with us. Find someone who knows God intimately and share your own pilgrimage with them on a regular basis. You are not looking for someone to critique you, tell you what to do or provide all the answers. You are looking for an echo, a reflection of your soul offered with gentle wisdom. We are not meant to make this journey alone.