Bidden

by Philip Yancey, Margriet Visser-Slofstra (Translator)

Beschouwingen vanuit een evangelicaal perspectief over het gebed en de omgang van de gelovige met God.

Genres: Christian, Prayer, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith, Religion, Christian Living

411 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Philip Yancey earned graduate degrees in Communications and English from Wheaton College Graduate School and the University of Chicago. He joined the staff of Campus Life Magazine in 1971, and worked there as Editor and then Publisher. He looks on those years with gratitude, because teenagers are demanding readers, and writing for them taught him a lasting principle: The reader is in control!

In 1978 Philip Yancey became a full-time writer, initially working as a journalist for such varied publications as Reader’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, National Wildlife, Christian Century and The Reformed Journal. For several years he contributed a monthly column to Christianity Today magazine, where he also served as Editor at Large.

In 2021 Philip released two new books: A Companion in Crisis and his long-awaited memoir, Where the Light Fell. Other favorites included in his more than twenty-five titles are: Where Is God When It Hurts, The Student Bible, and Disappointment with God. Philip's books have won thirteen Gold Medallion Awards from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, have sold more than seventeen million copies, and have been published in over 50 languages. Christian bookstore managers selected The Jesus I Never Knew as the 1996 Book of the Year, and in 1998 What’s So Amazing About Grace? won the same award. His other recent books are Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image; Vanishing Grace: Bringing Good News to a Deeply Divided World; The Question that Never Goes Away; What Good Is God?; Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?; Soul Survivor; and Reaching for the Invisible God. In 2009 a daily reader was published, compiled from excerpts of his work: Grace Notes.

The Yanceys lived in downtown Chicago for many years before moving to a very different environment in Colorado. Together they enjoy mountain climbing, skiing, hiking, and all the other delights of the Rocky Mountains.

Visit Philip online:
https://www.philipyancey.com
https://www.facebook.com/PhilipYancey

Catch his monthly blog:
https://bit.ly/PhilipYanceyBlog

Reviews

[Inder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been running around with a book called "Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?" in my purse for six months. When people would ask what I was reading and carrying around, I'd shuffle my feet and change the subject, too embarrassed to pull it out and share.

But I'm going public with this, because it's a good book! I apologize if the fact that I sometimes read contemporary spiritual self-help books messes with my friends' much-too-high opinions of me.

Ahem.

Yancey writes so beautifully about the discipline of contemplation and prayer - he makes me want to join a monastary (not a nunnery, nuns don't train dogs and that's my other favorite part of monk life). I kept getting choked up on BART reading beautiful stories about answered and unanswered prayers (all the while trying to keep the cover of the book hidden).

"Does he answer he question?" you ask, "Does prayer make any difference?" Well, if "um, maybe?" is an answer, he answers it. I came away from this book with a sense that hope is powerful, and it is good to cultivate a sense, almost a discipline, of gratitude in life. Also, surrender. Whether you call that "prayer" or not, and whether anyone is listening, is a different problem. But that discipline is powerful, humbling stuff.

So this is really an emotional book, not an apologetic, and it asks more questions than it answers. Like his other books, it poses a major question, and answers not with an answer, but with a CHALLENGE. I really like that. And Yancey is so aware of his faults, so honest and open about his shortcomings - I like that too, that is a strength in itself.

If you ever feel like picking up a contemporary spiritual self-help book, I recommend this one.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written in a way that is easily understood. The best book I've read on prayer. I will read more of Yancey's books.

I got it free for Kindle several months ago.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL;DR paraphrase: "I actually have no idea, but I think yes, because [anecdotal evidence] and [quotes from the Bible], but only in certain situations and definitely not in any way that we can quantify." Which, actually, is the most honest answer I've ever had to this question. It's not a satisfying book, and it didn't suggest anything that I haven't already heard in my 30ish years within the evangelical Christian subculture, but yeah, I appreciate the candor. Sometimes "I don't know" is the only real answer.

[7jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like it says, this book tackles the question of the usefulness of prayer, and how to do it well. There has been many reviews already, so I shall just list some things this book brings up:

- how essential it is to be as honestly ourselves as possible when we pray, and honestly express our positive and negative feelings, joy and rage, doubt and faith
- what is the point of praying, what limits there are
- to not shy away from 'wrestling with God' when we pray
- the difference that praying can make on history and on oppression (though one shouldn't expect quick results)
- does prayer change God's mind on things
- on the benefit of persistence (as seen in some parables, like the persistent widow and the judge)
- on how to choose the best personal way to pray, on using ready-made prayers (especially good if one experiences dryness)
- the obstacles to prayer; the periods of dryness
- on how to deal with unanswered prayers, with being not-healed
- what to pray for
- what benefits one gets from prayer, how our prayer helps others

But anyway, if one has difficulties in prayer, or if one doesn't - or if one just wants to read about prayer and all its sides and dimensions - this is a good book on the subject, building things steadily and not complicated at all. I feel like I've gained something from reading this though I was familiar with a lot of the subjects (and have not felt much prayer difficulties yet). This is a great book on prayer, so recommended :)

[Jim B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victims may approach a relationship with God with distrust and a lot of questions. Philip Yancey is the kind of author that communicates well to such an audience. This book on prayer is not the standard instructional manual nor the straightforward encouragement to pray. As Yancey does in his other books, he takes the questions and objections of others seriously, and admits to his own doubts and struggles. For that reason, this book may be more “in tune” with the Christian who wonders how God didn’t seem to answer a cry for help or healing. Some other books on prayer are written with solid faith that never questions and ponders before arriving at the Biblical truth. Hurting people may find that reading Yancey will remove some painful barriers to prayer.

I struggle with two common assertions about prayer. Some people credit prayer “working” when, in truth, God did all the “work” as a response to prayer. Admittedly, the Bible speaks in a similar way when it says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV) And neither the Bible, nor Philip Yancey can be accused of treating prayer as though prayer has a mystical power and God is not the receiver of prayer.

The other assertion some Christians make is that prayer is how you get to know God. Not: pray and learn about God from how He answers your prayers. Not: read what God says in the Bible and get to know God as you meditate on what He says. Sometimes writers assert that you pray and God speaks back to you, and you get to know God from this conversation. Yancey makes this assertion at the beginning of Chapter 5: “The main purpose of prayer not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God.” Isn’t prayer our side of the conversation with God? Doesn’t God’s side of the conversation come from the revelation about God on the pages of the Bible, and from experiencing how that revelation applies to our life? Yancey admits that he has not heard God’s audible voice. He admits that prayer often seems one-sided. Prayer is one-sided (unless it is defined as meditation on Scripture). Again, I admit that Yancey doesn’t define prayer as God talking to us as we talk to Him. He quotes Tim Stafford’s book Knowing the Face of God, “I am cautious in interpreting my impulses and feelings as messages from God. I do not want to take the Lord’s name in vain. I do not want to say, ‘The Lord told me,’ when in reality I heard a mental recording of my mother’s voice. I have spent any number of hours talking to God, and he has not yet answered back in a voice that was undeniably his.” (Page 56)

He talks about the experience of prayer as learning to speak to God about the world from His perspective, aligning our will with His as we pray. We begin to understand God, to know God as our prayers shift from what we want to what He wants. But I still question the statement that the “main purpose of prayer [is] . . . to know God.” Yancey doesn’t place this “knowing God” in the Scriptures, and without that explanation, will readers view prayer as the way to know God and as a result grow frustrated in the silence that follows their prayers?

To be fair to Yancey, and to challenge those who might not read his book because of such criticism (of a tiny part of the book, much counter-balanced by other statements he makes), Yancey examines prayer in such detail that many who have a simplistic view of prayer need to read his book so they stop making other false statements out of ignorance which also could frustrate those who struggle and seek God’s help. Yancey examines many questions such as the effect of a positive attitude or faith on recovery. His conclusions are far more nuanced and directed by Scripture and faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, than those who dismiss all discussion of how the body fights disease when teaching about God’s answers to prayer.

Yancey‘s kindliness to the suffering Christian who does not feel grateful, who is angry, resentful, and full of complaints was particularly moving. His consistent expressions of such grace may prove helpful and encouraging to those who have met rejection and frustration from Christians when they cry out in their pain. He mentions a mother who rejoices in the full time care of her invalid child, but then says, “By mentioning this woman I do not mean to compound the guilt of a mother who might wake up every day resenting the demands of her child . . .” (Page 280) On the pages of this book, those who still struggle may find hope for their situation in the grace of God and in God’s promises. I was struck by this comment, “If I nurse a grudge and have not the strength to forgive, I present to God that wound, along with the one who inflicted it, and ask for strength I cannot supply on my own. (Could this be why Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them . . .” from the cross rather than pronouncing, “I forgive you?”)”(Page 313) This statement is followed by a story of a woman who interpreted praying for our enemies as applying to praying for the man who molested her daughter. She said she struggled daily to forgive and worried that by forgiving she’ll minimize the pain and suffering she caused. This example of what Yancey is talking about, helps those who struggle to look closer at what Yancey just wrote about asking for strength to forgive.

The book contains many inserts – stories and comments by others that illustrate the point being made in that chapter, or provoking further thought. The inserts acted as a stimulus while reading each chapter, providing alternate voices to the authors.

A vast number of classic books have been written on prayer – and Yancey catalogs many of the most famous. While I have a couple of other favorites, I would recommend this book to anyone who, having been deeply harmed by someone, has a spiritual struggle or feels estranged from God. I’ve not encountered a book that takes this pain as seriously as this book, and provides helpful and healing responses directed at hearts that have been betrayed.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philip Yancey is insightful and relatable in this in-depth look at prayer. He combines his own thoughts and experiences with those of others to look at many of the doubts and questions people have about prayer. He doesn't offer easy answers, but it's a hopeful and thoughtful book, one to own and reread.

[Daniel Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve read two other books by Philip Yancey—What’s So Amazing about Grace and The Jesus I Never Knew—and found them to be excellent too. I remember starting Prayer about 5 years ago and was a little bothered by it after reading about 100 pages. I think I felt like Mr. Yancey’s approach was not committed enough to faith in miracles (it was some type of misgiving like that at least). I ended up setting it aside.

Reading it this time I definitely thought that Mr. Yancey had a balanced and faithful approach to miracles and the other areas that he addresses. I really think it’s a superb and helpful book. It offers encouragement, especially to those who struggle with prayer and have questions, fears, or doubts. I also love the way that Mr. Yancey uses examples and instances from real life to explain the point he is making and to provide a model. This book helps those who struggle to pray by showing how many others honestly battle with difficulties in prayer.

[Igna Darius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on prayer so far. Recommended 100%

[Christopher Humphrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Today I finished Philip Yancey’s book entitled, “Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?” Yancey has a very readable, approachable style and he presents as a very sincere person. But this book is not worthy of your time or attention. If I did not make myself clear, I cannot recommend this book.

This book is not bereft of some helpful devotion thoughts. That is, in fact, Yancey’s strength. He is a concise, caring writer who approaches his subject matter with enthusiasm and sincerity. The problem with this book is that Yancey’s devotional thoughts teeter on a shaky theological foundation.

I would classify Yancey as a “popular author” in Christendom today. If you think that is a compliment, I would recommend you take some time at a local Christian bookstore to peruse (but, please don’t buy) the latest popular Christian literature. You will no doubt be discouraged by the meager fare. In trying to have broad appeal, Yancey incorporates thoughts from all manner of denominations, world religions, secular philosophers, mainline Protestants, monks, nuns, Scripture (quotations omitted),etc.

Now, this widely cast net would not be a problem if Yancey had done the hard work of honing every thought under the ultimate authority of Scripture. But that is not what Yancey does. Instead, Mr. Yancey presents a veritable smorgasbord of thoughts that, very frankly, leave the reader confused about what Yancey really does believe. I cannot impugn Mr. Yancey’s motives because, of course, I do not know his heart. But his source material says allot about Yancey’s worldview.

So, what did I find most troubling about this book? Yancey’s book presents a low view of Scripture and an even lower view of God. After reading this book, I am convinced that Yancey has been heavily influenced by Open Theism. Yancey’s view of God makes God subject to our personal exercise of freedom. In discussing possession by the Holy Spirit (not a biblical turn of phrase) over against demon possession, Yancey asserts, “The Lord of the universe becomes so small, so freedom-respecting as to put himself somehow at our mercy.” (Page 85). That is not the God I recognize from Scripture.

In Chapter 8, Yancey quotes Abraham Joshua Heschel, “The universe is done. The greater masterpiece, still undone, still in the process of being created, is history. For accomplishing His grand design God needs the help of man.” (Page 101). The God of the universe, my God, does NOT need the help of any man and for Yancey to include that quotation in a Chapter entitled “Partnership” demonstrates that Yancey indeed has a low view of God.

In that same Chapter Yancey quotes theologian Clark Pinnock after observing, “Since God’s nature is love, he says God must be impressionable and sympathetic: “Because God’s love never changes, God’s experience must change.” (Page 134)

Yancey wavers between mysticism and pantheism when he asserts, “God is present in the Spirit, who groans wordlessly on our behalf and who speaks in a soft voice to all consciences attuned to him.” (Page 51). At the risk of sounding like an eastern mystic—hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Yancey quotes Henri Nowen, “”To pray is to walk in the full light of God, and to say simply, without holding back, ‘I am human and you are God.’ At that moment, conversion occurs, the restoration of the true relationship. ...” (Page 34). No, Mr. Yancey, that is NOT what conversion is and using the quotation is confusing at best and encouraging another Gospel, at worst.

Again, I must emphasize there are helpful elements of this book. But the morass of bad theology is simply not worth wading through for the occasional nugget of helpful devotional thoughts. It would be like hopping on a plane to fly 14 hours to Hawaii to swim at the beach for 10 minutes and then return home—it is NOT worth it!

Well, on to the next book. Happy reading!

[Allison Anderson Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve ever read on prayer! Gave me permission to pray the way that works best for me, encouraged me with the stories of others who have also had a hard time focusing while in prayer, and also helped clear up or at least give an explanation for some confusing Bible verses about prayer. I will read again soon, this may be an “read every year” book.

[Dave Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth Philip Yancey book that I’ve reviewed here on Goodreads. I have rated all of these books at 5 stars. He is becoming one of my favorite Christian authors. I believe this book outshines them all. This is a book that is simultaneously comprehensive in its research but personal in its telling. An examination of the back of the book will reveal the breadth of resources consulted. This is no dry, intellectual dissertation, however. Throughout the book he shows real, relatable, day-to-day challenges to establishing and maintaining a fulfilling prayer life.

Which of us can claim to have an outstanding prayer life? This is the discipline in which the vast majority of us struggle. Do our prayers “work?” Is there any point praying to an omniscient God who knows your requests beforehand? How do I pray? What about unanswered prayer? And so on. One of the issues that Yancey covers is what is an outstanding prayer life? How is this walked out in our very real lives? Yancey often takes – what I call – a revelation by relation approach. He lets people who have struggled with the issue at hand tell the story in their own words and how they’ve resolved it.

Yancey covers interesting topics about prayer. One that I found interesting was the study of prayer preferences of people whose profiles have been identified using the Myers-Briggs personality profiles. There is other primary research discussed. All of it is enlightening some of it very surprising.

My personal takeaways:
• Be Honest Check out the Psalms. If you just randomly thumb through them you will quickly notice that these were written by hurting, angry, vengeful, people with real issues. Often I wonder: Why did they put that one in the Bible? The short answer is that God values honesty. He also knows ALL your issues. He will not be surprised that you are mad at Him and how He chooses to do things. Your naked honesty will not catch Him off-guard. His shoulder can take EVERYTHING that you can dish out. Above all, he wants you to come to Him even (especially?) if you are angry at Him and/or disappointed with Him.

• Be Persistent Start a routine that you can live with. This book describes many different prayer styles and techniques. One common factor among those with fulfilling prayer lives is that they kept at it. Don’t worry about “doing it right.” God is not like those Olympic judges who deduct points for tiny errors. He is there and ready to listen. Your prayer life will prosper over time and, most important, your relationship with Him will deepen.

• Be Yourself Speaking for myself, it can be a little intimidating when you hear the testimonies of those who have wonderful prayer lives. They may say, “Really you just have to …” etc. They make it seem so easy. You realize as you follow their approach that you “aren’t doing it right.” Don’t torture yourself. Find a routine that works for you. This may – and probably will – involve changing and adapting that routine. The main thing is to keep referring to – and practicing – the above two steps.

The back of the book lists several resources that he references and that we can find useful as we develop our prayer walk. I encourage my Goodreads followers to scan the notes that I’ve highlighted (a wonderful feature for those of us with Kindles!). I’m sure you’ll find something that will give you pause.

This is a wonderful, life-changing book. I’m still a deeply flawed man who falls far short of God’s best for me. Lately though, I’ve been more God-conscious as I’ve been reading this. I’m hoping that I can follow my own advice and keep the communication line open and active. Please pray for me but, most of all, just pray!

[Mitch]

How many times in your life can you honestly say, "I am absolutely SURE God answered my prayer."

...if that number is small, no wonder you wonder if everything would have turned out the same if you hadn't prayed at all.

Philip Yancy addresses this, as anyone who writes on the subject would have to, since the experience is so prevalent. He gives the standard and usual Biblical answers. I personally don't find those answers satisfying, so I didn't find this book satisfying either.

Phillip has some good things to say and he's thorough; he also illustrates his points with life stories people have told or written to him.

But just like the Bible, he seems to contradict himself as he tries to walk back and forth between the "God delights in answering his children's prayers" and "here's why He's not doing that". Frankly, it just seems like excuses instead of explanations.

It's not a happy combination: Pray without ceasing and without answers.

Additionally, at times he says things like: 'Love God with your whole mind,', followed a couple of paragraphs later with statements against 'fathoming what God does'. Just....no.

I also want to comment about an anecdote Phillip uses about a woman in church standing up and thanking God for her child being revived by artificial respiration at the side of a swimming pool- for which the congregation loudly and rightly thanked God- while another woman sitting amongst them had a child who was not able to be revived. If I'd have been her, I'd have stood up and left that church forever- and they didn't even do anything wrong. It was just another one of those extremely painful unanswered mysteries connected with prayer.

I'm sure other people will find solace and encouragement in Phillip's book and I'm glad they will; I'm just not one of them.

[Em Swaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Theologically sloppy!
"Sadly, much of what he writes is false; dangerous even. The questions he asks are questions any Christian may have asked before him and will continue to ask long after him. Unfortunately, the answers he provides are often less than scriptural. Those who read this book and follow it by investigating the sources he recommends, could find themselves confused indeed." Tim Challies

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference?
Philip Yancey explores this question through a fairly thorough examination of prayer in the writings of famous theologians and writers, through his personal experience and reflections, and most interestingly, through the lives of ordinary people who had written him about their own experiences in prayer.
So does prayer make a difference? It turns out the answer is yes, but rarely in the way we expect.
As always, I appreciate Yancey's vulnerability and his willingness to tackle difficult questions.

[Cale Manley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip Yancey always makes you stop and think. In this book, he asks honest and probing questions about the meaning of prayer and doesn’t give you any immediate answers. I left this book with a fresh appreciation and passion for prayer. It also led me to try some different approaches in my personal devotions. As always with Yancey, this book is full of some incredible stories.

[Lisa Maxwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the spring offering for my bible study group, Yancey's book was met with less enthusiasm than expected. A lot of us -- faith-filled women who have been enduring unusual hardships involving major, life-threatening health issues experienced by close family members (e.g., cancer, Alzheimer's, spinal surgery followed by life-threatening blood clots in the lungs, paralysis after a fall, and two deaths) -- really struggled with it. Had we not been so invested in one another's lives, it would have been easy to walk away from this book. It raises more questions than it answers, which further tests one's faith. It makes those of us who are comfortable (stoic?) accepting God's omnipotence/omniscience/omnipresence, uncomfortable. I can honestly say that I felt reading much of this book was counterproductive rather than comforting.

Oh, it has its good parts, incidents of endurance and persistence and faithfulness that are uplifting. It reminds us that prayer is a great stress-reliever and that a "person who is at peace, surrounded by loving support, will quite literally heal better, drawing on the resources of body, mind and spirit." (p. 254) And suggests that "(u)ltimately prayer proves its power by producing changes in us the pray-ers." (p. 290). But I don't know that these are earth-shaking revelations to any maturing Christian.

Personally, I found that Parts 4 (Prayer Dilemmas) and 5 (The Practice of Prayer) were the most salient chapters of the book. But I would be reluctant to recommend it anyone of my current acquaintance, simply because I don't think it's as helpful as others, such as Brennan Manning's "Abba's Child" or "A Passionate Life," by Mike Breen & Walt Kallestad.

If you're struggling with the whys and wheretofores of prayer -- if you're angry or struggling with God -- then Yancey's "Prayer" may be a good place to start. But if you're reconciled to the fact that bad things happen to good people -- and good things happen to bad people, too -- then you might not want to invest the time in this one.

[Jane Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I am finally finished this book. It is not something to gulp, but to chew on little bits at a time. I have underlined much and it will continue to be a go-to book for me. What I love about Yancey's writings is that he does not pretend to have all the answers. In fact, he candidly admits to many of thee questions and doubts we have, as well as sharing thoughts from letters he has received and from some of the great heroes of the Christian faith. They,too, have their struggles and questions. So what it boils down to for me is this: For some amazing reason, God actually desires a relationship with me, and the way to further that relationship is through communication, i.e. prayer. He outlines for us in the Lord's Prayer how we might pray. But prayer does not have to be an event. or prescribed for a specific time. It can and needs to be a way of living, a state of being. So when I think of you, I pray for you. I bring you before the God who already knows your every need and sorrow, and all I am doing is identifying with God in an acknowledgment of that need. We don't, nor will we ever understand or have all the answers. That is as it should be, for we are not God. Someday He will reveal to us the right side of the tapestry, not the underside which is fraught with knots and tangles and is generally messy. For me, I'm glad it isn't all up to me and that we do have a God to trust, who knows what is best.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes depressing - left me with a feeling hopelessness about prayer midway through the book before pulling it out of the tailspin. Provocative, deep, sometimes depressing and sometimes hopeful, a compelling writing style never left me bored.

[Kaimcgrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading books by Philip Yancey because it feels less like a book I've read and more like a conversation I've had. I can't say this book left me with any new profound techniques or answers that completely upend & transform my spiritual life.

But I'm thankful for the conversation.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved his other stuff, couldn't get into this one.

[Lynne Modranski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally someone honest enough to explain prayer and admit they don't orally understand it. I appreciate the candor as well as the challenge to dive deeper into prayer

[mirela Darau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite dense and, as he calls it in the end, research-heavy!:) But worth the try and digestion! It comprises several intellectual approaches on prayer, pertinent questions and a willingness to understand and know, just to end up every time admitting that we know partly and that to understand God (if there is such a thing), another kind of perception is needed, and there is always a dose of mistery that must live with.

I loved it, loved the different points of view in it, the story - oasis, the struggle i could sense between the lines. And the more i read the more i realized it's one of those books i must read again sometime, cause there's much more left to it.

There were many bits and pieces that struck me and left me thinking and marvelling. Among them:
We are a living incompleteness. We are a gap, an emptiness that calls for fulfilment. Th. Merton

The Bible draws a strong contrast between the freedom-crushing style of evil and the freedom-respecting style of good.

I have become convinced that the phrase "Your will be done" belongs at the end of my prayers, not at the beginning.[..] I cut thus short what God wants from me that I make known my requests, and in doing so I make known myself.

I too appreciate prayer mostly in the retrospective. The prayer itself feels like work.

'Why do anything?' God could have arranged things so that our bodies nourished themselves miraculously without food, knowledge entered our brain without studying, umbrellas magically appeared to protect us from rainstorms. God chose a different style of governing the world: a partnership that relies on human agancy and choice. God granted the human species the 'dignity of causality', to borrow a phrase from Pascal. Lewis' idea:)

Regular prayer helps me to protect inner space, to prevent the outer world from taking over.

I should not try to suppress my reaction to horrorand ooutrage at evil. Nor should I try to take justice in my own hands. Rather, I should deliver those feelings, stripped bare, to God. As the book of Job, Jeremiah and Habakkuk clearly show, God has a high threshold of tolerance for what is appropriate to say in a prayer.

Apart from the requirement that we be authentic before God, there is no prescribed way to pray. Each of us presents a uniques mix of personality, outlook, training, gifts and weaknesses, as well as a unique history with church and with God.As Roberta Bondi says, 'if you are praying, you are already "doing it right"'.

I try to see the dry period as a time of waiting. After all, I gladly wait for loved ones when their planes are delayed, wait on hold for computer helpliness, wait in line for a concert I want to attend. Waiting need not kill me, it uses time in anticipation of something to come.

It is as though God knows there are questions underneath my questionsand those are the ones He answers. Lynn pg 197

I still feel inadequate - and that's why I pray. Dianne pg.199

I yearned for the kind of faith that Jesus remarked on with approval, the faith that readily believes in miracles. Alas, I never found it. I found instead a realistic faith that developed as a by-product of pending time with God -> and I'm also here now..:) good to know I'm not the only one!

Many books on prayer include a statement like this: 'God always answers prayer, but sometimes No is the answer'. I read that statement and then think of specific friends and relatives who received negative answer. Why? Were their prayer somehow deficient? pg.213

really enlightening for me: The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. And if an infinetely wise Being listens to the requests of finite and foolish creatures, of course He will sometimes grant and sometimes refuse them.[..] It is not unreasonable for a headmaster to say, 'Such and such things you may do according to the fixed rules of this school. But such and such other things are too dangerous to be left to general rules. If you want to do them you must come and make a request and talk over the whole matter with me in my study. And then -we'll see..' C.S.Lewis

If you want to see God smile, tell him your plans. old saying

pg. 236

Christianity is less a set of beliefs than a way of life, and a way of life that actually warns against absolute intellectual certainty. William Sloan Coffin pg. 238 -> indeed to me, at least, the only certainty I have is that God is, and that He is good and perfect, beautiful; actually everything he claims to. but the rest i figure out by daily living, while growing older..

I learn to pray by listening to them [the poor] and then by asking God to make me constantly available for whatever we can do to serve one another and Christ's reign. Bud pg. 261

He [Bloom] concentrated on living in the present, recognizing that the past is irremediably gone and the future is irrelevant because who knows whether it will happen or not. N o w , a fleeting instant, represents the intersection of eternity with time -> i need more of this perspective, cause i tend to live very little in the present and therefore am oblivious of many things lately.

In short, prayer allows me to see others as God sees them (and me): as uniquely flawed and uniquely gifted bearers of God's image.[..] Praying for those whom i lovegives me a glimpse of how God must feel. I cannot impose my own wishes; God, who probably could, chooses not to out of respect for human freedom. In many cases i can see behavior that needs to change for *their* sakes. [..] pg. 295

I try to be as specific as possible, praying[..] - again, not telling God anything new, but involving a third party in the relationship, a Person who cares more about each of them than I do. I ask that God will use my love and concern, my prayer, to help bring about the good that we both desire.

Prayer consists of Attention. It is the orientation of all the attention of which the soul is capable towards God. Simone Weil

[Manny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. . . Just. . . Wow. Yes, it took me over 7 months to read this book. This is not because it was hard reading, but rather because there was so much meat to chew on the bones of each chapter. This is certainly not a “chapter-a-day” kind of book. This book requires thoughtful reaction, meditation, and (quite appropriately) prayer.

I was introduced to Yancey’s work back in the mid 90’s with a book called “Where is God When it Hurts.” I immediately became a fan. He doesn’t write as someone who knows all of the answers. To his own admission, he writes based on questions he struggles with in his own pilgrimage through this life. I appreciate that so much, especially when reading on a book about prayer. This gives the author freedom to confront hard questions we all have about this ancient practice, its continued validity today, and how hard we make it. Yet, in all of the questions and epiphanies, there is this reminder of hope that we do not practice a ritual. Instead, we are invited into a dance, a deep conversation with the Lover of our souls.

I’ll need to come back to this book again in the near future. I’m truly better for the read!

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m convinced the main requirement in prayer is honesty—approaching God just as we are.” (Chapter 14)

What’s the point of prayer? Why does God answer some prayers but not others? Why do I often feel far from God? What did Jesus actually mean when he said “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith”?

Philip Yancey asks more questions than he tries to answer. He’s willing to share his doubts and truly wrestle with answers, making him my new favorite Christian author.

“Why does one continent, Africa, absorb like a sponge so many of the world’s disasters? When will peace on earth ever arrive? Ultimately, I came to see these questions as God’s interrogations of us. Jesus made clear God’s will for the planet. What part am I playing to help fulfill that will?” (Chapter 19)

This book was comforting and hopeful. I guess my takeaway is that prayer is mostly about friendship with God. When I confess, I’m not telling God anything he doesn’t know; I’m bringing him my heart. When I pray for others, I’m not trying to make God change an outcome, but hoping to grow in compassion, be changed myself, and see how God wants me to be involved in helping that person. Yancey shares his friend’s advice: everything (conversations, Bible reading, painting) can be a prayer; find what you most enjoy, do it for the glory of God, and it can be a prayer.

This book probably could have been a lot shorter, but I didn’t mind, especially since I was listening to the audiobook.

[Jody Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to slow read this book because I wanted to mull over what I read and in some cases tried to put it into practice. He doesn't explain how prayer works or dazzle the reader with countless answers to prayer. It's a realistic, honest search for an understanding of prayer. Yancey recognizes prayers are not all answered the way we wish, prayers can be answered before we even utter them and at times it seems God is not even listening. One thing that spoke to me was how important prayer was to Jesus! His need for prayer is recorded numerous times by various writers. Jesus took the time to teach his disciples how to pray. If it was important to Jesus it needs to be important to us. An attitude of prayer throughout the day can be life changing!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rather than feel rebuked for my lack prayer I am encouraged to keep praying anytime, anywhere and about anything.
“Some prayers go unanswered, a sense of God’s presence ebbs and flows, and often I sense more mystery than resolution. Nevertheless I keep at it, believing with Paul that “now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known”
Philip Yancey deals with some tough stuff in this treatment on prayer and does not shy away from the questions we all have. The proof that God is listening and responding is abundant and spurs the reader on so as not to miss out on this unusual, amazing potential to communicate with “the One who spun out galaxies and created all that exists. Objections fade away, doubts resolve, and I imagine myself falling back on words akin to Job’s: “Oh, now I get it”.
I highly recommend this book to believers and unbelievers alike. Start praying, keep praying… it makes all the difference!

[Jordan Southerland · Rating 4 out of 5]

changed my framework of prayer. the act of prayer isn’t me coming to God, instead it is me recognizing God has always been there.

this book helped me form this concept;

if i become a master of theology but don’t pray i have wasted my life. if i serve in church more than anyone but don’t pray, it is a waste. oh, that i would become a man who prays.

super solid read. if you haven’t read yancey, you probably should.

[Amy Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philip Yancey is quickly becoming a favorite Christian author of mine. And this might be my favorite book on prayer. With sensitivity, thoughtfulness, humility, and faith, Yancey walks us through the tough questions surrounding prayer. He also concludes that prayer in and of itself is a grace to us. He writes this book with zero pretense, and he expects zero pretense from the reader. Yancey is always real and vulnerable. He doesn’t shy away from the hardest issues. It’s all so good!

[Camilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say that this book has given me a richer, deeper and broader understanding of and insight to prayer and God and I am grateful for it. Some stories are very emotional, so be aware of that if you, like me, are reading on the bus and taking to tears easily.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me so much to think about where my prayer life is concerned. I read it with my friend. I don’t know if I would have finished it without a reading buddy, it is an excellent, eye opening, Birds Eye view of prayer and where it can fit in your day to day life.