Why Pray if God Ordains All Things?

Meditating upon the Law of the Lord leads us to prayer. The goal is that as you meditate, the Spirit brings conviction, thanks, praise, or some other reality up into your heart. It is with these realities in mind that you then approach God directly in prayer. In this sense, prayer is truly conversation with God, and there is much to discuss. We talk to God directly concerning the things upon which we have reflected.

Sanctification isn’t effortless. The act of dying to sin implies spiritual battle and life-long war against sin. Living unto righteousness implies costly, intensive labor that daily says “no” to sin and “yes” to Christlikeness. So what do we do when we fail yet again? How can we overcome feelings of failure, defeat, and self-loathing when we sin?

What if the discomfort we’ve avoided—the very trial we’ve begged God to remove—is the instrument our loving Father is using to bring us to completion, the place where lasting joy is found?

Kyle Strobel joins Michael Horton to discuss different views of spiritual formation, how pastors and theologians from church history have approached this topic, and why seasons of desolation (spiritual dryness) are meant for our good, not punishment.