4 minute read
By Bethany Rees

The Power of Prayer: Trusting a God Who Shows Up

Growing up, I often heard phrases like, “I’ll pray for you,” or, “Just give it to God.” These words were comforting, but for years, I didn’t believe I could boldly take my prayer requests to God and trust Him to show up. Deep down, I believed the outcomes I desired rested solely on my own effort, performance, and problem-solving. What a lack of faith that was!

Jesus addresses this in Matthew 17:20, where He says,

“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” 

Reflecting on this verse, I see how small my faith was…like “I need a microscope to see it,” kind of faith. 

But God, in His infinite grace, doesn’t leave us where we are. The more I study His Word and learn about His character, the more I trust Him with the big and small details of my life. Recently, I’ve had two personal encounters with the power of prayer that have transformed my understanding of His faithfulness.

Bold Prayers and a Faithful God

The first experience involved a financial need. As a solopreneur and leadership coach, I’m in the process of publishing a book on leadership. Unexpectedly, I needed funds for a specific part of the publishing process, but all my business income was tied up in other investments. Anxiety crept in, but instead of letting it consume me, I prayed.

I acknowledged that all my resources belong to God and boldly asked Him to provide the funds or give me wisdom on how to proceed. For several days, I prayed and felt peace in trusting Him. Then came the answer: my publisher emailed to let me know they had decided to cover the cost entirely. I owed nothing. Zero! I hadn’t even considered that as an option. God reminded me that He is infinitely bigger than my limited understanding and solutions.

The second experience involved physical healing. Despite writing transparently here, I’m naturally a reserved person who struggles to share my “struggles” in real time. After the holidays, I came home with the flu and woke up one Tuesday morning with the worst symptoms I’d ever had: a pounding headache, nausea, body aches, chills, dizziness, and laryngitis. I was supposed to host a podcast interview that had been scheduled for two months, and I was heartbroken at the thought of canceling.

Before giving up, I decided to boldly pray for healing. I also texted a few close friends, asking them to pray. Between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m., their responses flooded in—prayers and Scripture reminding me of God’s power. By 8:00 a.m., every single symptom disappeared. Not just some—all of them. I hosted the podcast at 9:30, completely healed.

God Always Answers

These experiences reminded me of the book of James: 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” ~James 1:5-8

“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” ~ James 5:16 

God always answers prayer. Sometimes it’s a “no,” because He has a better plan. Sometimes it’s “wait,” because His timing is perfect. And sometimes, it’s an incredible “yes,” like the ones I experienced.

Whatever the answer, it’s always for His glory and our good, as Romans 8:28 assures us:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

So, the next time you face a mountain, pray boldly before the Lord. Better yet, share your struggle with trusted friends and ask them to join you in prayer. God’s answers—whether “no,” “wait,” or “yes”—will always reflect His goodness and glory. Trust Him with the big and small, and watch Him move mountains.

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. Pray Boldly!

Rocks before Sand!

Scripture: 

“He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” ~ Matthew 17:20

Theme Song: 

CeCe Winans - Believe For It (Official Lyric Video)

References Used:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.