Praying in Every Circumstance According to God's Providence
Praying in every circumstance according to God's providence is rooted in the biblical understanding that God is actively involved in the lives of believers and the world at large. The concept of providence refers to God's care and governance over all creation, guiding events and circumstances to achieve His purposes [1].
The Bible encourages believers to pray continually, regardless of their circumstances. Ephesians 6:18 exhorts believers to "pray at all times in the Spirit, with all perseverance and supplication" [2]. Similarly, Romans 1:10 illustrates Paul's practice of praying "at all times" for the opportunity to visit the Roman Christians [3]. This persistent prayer is not limited to times of ease or hardship but is a constant attitude of dependence on God.
The practice of praying in every circumstance is closely tied to the understanding of God's providence. Torrey's Topical Textbook highlights that prayer is to be offered in recognition of God's providential care, including His preservation, provision, and protection of His creatures [4]. The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, as represented by Matthew Henry, emphasizes that believers should continue in their state and condition, recognizing that their circumstances are distributions of divine providence [8].
The Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, as seen in Adam Clarke's commentary, underscores the importance of prayer in all aspects of life. Clarke notes that prayer is essential for fulfilling one's duties in various stations of life, whether as wives, husbands, children, parents, servants, or masters [6]. The Eastern Orthodox tradition, represented by John Chrysostom, also emphasizes the importance of giving thanks to God in prayer, both for oneself and others [7].
In praying according to God's providence, believers acknowledge His sovereignty over all events and circumstances. This understanding is reflected in the Puritan tradition's emphasis on pouring out one's soul before God in times of perplexity, as seen in Jeremiah's prayer [9]. The Presbyterian tradition, as represented by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, highlights the importance of persisting in prayer, using terms like "prayer" and "supplication" to describe the various aspects of prayer [5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Providence — Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God's providence extends to the natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the brute creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), and the affairs of men (1 Chr. 16:31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan. 2:21; 4:25), and of individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4:13-15). It extends also to the free actions of men (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; ”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 6:18 (YLT) — through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in regard to this same, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--”
- Romans “Romans 1:10 (Rotherham) — At all times in my prayers,—making supplication—if, by some means, even now, at any time, I may have a way opened, in the will of God, to come unto you;”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Providence of God, The — Is his care over his works -- Ps 145:9. Is exercised in Preserving his creatures. -- Ne 9:6; Ps 36:6; Mt 10:29. Providing for his creatures. -- Ps 104:27,28; 136:25; 147:9; Mt 6:26. The special preservation of saints. -- Ps 37:28; 91:11; Mt 10:30. Prospering saints. -- Ge 24:48,56. Protecting saints. -- Ps 91:4; 140:7. Delivering saints. -- Ps 91:3; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 63:12. Bringing His words to pass. -- Nu 26:65; Jos 21:45; Lu 21:32,33. Ordering the ways of men. -- Pr 16:9; 19”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 6:18: always--Greek, "in every season"; implying opportunity and exigency (Col 4:2). Paul uses the very words of Jesus in Luk 21:36 (a Gospel which he quotes elsewhere, in undesigned consonance with the fact of Luke being his associate in travel, Co1 11:23, &c.; Ti1 5:18). Compare Luk 18:1; Rom 12:12; Th1 5:17. with all--that is, every kind of. prayer--a sacred term for prayer in general. supplication--a common term for a special kind of prayer [HARLESS], an imploring request. "Prayer" for obtaining blessings, "supplication" for averting evils which”
- Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 4:2: Continue in prayer - This was the apostle's general advice to all; without this, neither wives, husbands, children, parents, servants, nor masters, could fulfill the duties which God, in their respective stations, required of them. All might, power, and life come from God; his creatures are continually dependent upon him for all these: to earnest, persevering prayer, he has promised every supply; but he who prays not has no promise. How few wives feel it their duty to pray to God to give them grace to behave as wives! How few husbands pray for the grace suited to”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 & 2 Corinthians: 6 Homily II. 1 Cor. i. 4, 5 I thank my God always concerning you, for the Grace of God which was given you in Jesus Christ; that in every thing you were enriched in him. [1.] That which he exhorts others to do, saying, “( Phil. iv. 6 .) Let your requests with thanksgiving be made known unto God,” the same also he used to do himself: teaching us to begin always from these words, and before all things to give thanks unto God. For nothing is so acceptable to God as that men should be thankful, both for themselves and for others: wherefore also he pr”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 7:17: Here the apostle takes occasion to advise them to continue in the state and condition in which Christianity found them, and in which they became converts to it. And here, I. He lays down this rule in general - as God hath distributed to every one. Note, Our states and circumstances in this world are distributions of divine Providence. This fixes the bounds of men's habitations, and orders their steps. God setteth up and pulleth down. And again, As the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. Whatever his circumstances or condition was when he was conver”
- Jeremiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 32:16: We have here Jeremiah's prayer to God upon occasion of the discoveries God had made to him of his purposes concerning this nation, to pull it down, and in process of time to build it up again, which puzzled the prophet himself, who, though he delivered his messages faithfully, yet, in reflecting upon them, was greatly at a loss within himself how to reconcile them; in that perplexity he poured out his soul before God in prayer, and so gave himself ease. That which disturbed him was not the bad bargain he seemed to have made for himself in purchasing a field tha”