Praying vs Doing

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I would pray to move a mountain but I would not even care to move a pebble

On my way to visit a cancer patient, I started to pray, I asked God to help, to heal, then I started to think of all those things I wanted God to do, but what am I ready to do? Am I willing to sacrifice anything, time, effort, or at least sincere care? Well, unfortunately without God’s grace I was not ready to move a finger or get out of my comfort zone.  
While I might not have a control on how God would answer my prayers, I was concerned with the state of my heart. I sounded exactly like James 2:16 “And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” If prayer is so much easier than doing anything or we prefer praying instead of doing what we should be doing, then we have a problem.

I started wondering why my prayer and readiness are so cold--do I need pain in my life to seek God as hard as the woman with the issue of blood or to fall at Jesus’ feet as Jairus? It seems that many times I am just a casual believer; I am taking God for granted, as a nice (but not very close) friend. I check on him from time to time, I pray almost every day, I read the Bible often, but I don’t stay at the cross or carry my cross everyday (Luke 9:23).

Maybe I unintentionally resist or ignore God’s true will in my life. It can be small simple steps of obedience. Am I instead giving in to some desires of the world--for example the desire to be comfortable, happy, loved by people or secure financially?

I am praying that the Grace of God in my life and his salvation lead me to be interested in serving him with joy and excitement. Also, that His Grace would lead me to represent him as an ambassador and go to the cross daily to align the desires of my heart with his incredible love and mercy toward all people.

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