From A Praying Life by Paul Miller

"To teach us how to pray, Jesus told stories of weak people who knew they couldn't do life on their own. Learned desperation is at the heart of a praying life."

"Suffering is God's gift to make us aware of our contingent existence. It creates an environment where we see the true nature of our existence- dependant on the living God."

These quotes that use phrases like learned desperation and contingent existence, make me think about what I have seen to be practically true in my own prayer life. So many times, I operate in my own skill set. When that does not work I seek someone with a skill set that will get the job done. Very rarely is the first reaction to pray and to pray with intensity and persistence.

This is not always the case. When a pastor who I admire and respect named Matt Chandler came down with a serious brain cancer diagnosis, there was a national call to pray. A great number of people began praying for Matt. An old friend of mine, named Jeff, about the same time, got a diagnosis of a cancer in his brain. The prognosis is not good. The reaction from everyone was to pray.

Cancer is something that we do not have to learn to be desperate about, we are desperate immediately. When we hear of malignant brain cancer, we know immediately that we are helpless.

But what do we do when the situation is not as grim as brain cancer? Is our first reaction to operate in our own strength? For me the answer is yes. When will we realize that our existence is a contingent existence and the our situation on this planet is desperate one? When will we understand that God has our very best interest in mind? Even when the diagnosis is cancer, even when we get a cold, even when our spouse leaves, even when we want a new job, even when we have an autistic child, even when we can not find our car keys, even when we can't make rent this month...God has our best interest at heart.

We have to understand that ours is a contingent existence. When any of these things happen, God is teaching that to us. Pray today, live today, be aware that yours is a contingent existence today.