Evaluation:
1: Assessment of value: the act of considering or examining something in order to judge its value, quality, importance, extent, or condition.
2: Statement of value: a spoken or written statement of the value, quality, importance, extent, or condition of something.
We have overlooked the fact that we're evaluated in everything we do; whether in a relationship, or on jobs we are evaluated in our performance. Likewise in our prayers and what we do for God are evaluated to determine the value of what we do and say.
Evaluations are recorded and stored by date, until it's needed. Let's look at a few examples...
There are times when you pray and it takes longer than expected for a result; for some reason God has decided to prolong an answer. There could be a variety of reasons God would do such a thing; however, sometimes He will prolong his answer to prayer because of an evaluation.
For instance:
How is your prayer life? Be honest with yourself. ____________________________
Do you pray? I don't mean one day a week at church, or right before a meal. I mean do you actually take time out of your daily routine to pray to God? _______________
If you do, that's great, but if you don't, asks yourself, "Why not?" ________________
Is it too difficult for you to do? ___________________________________________
If you profess your belief in God, but do not pray, then you're missing the most important part of knowing God, which is having a relationship with Him.
When God evaluates you concerning a prayer request, He always gives you the correct answer according to your evaluation. However, it can be reevaluated at a later period. In other words, this is not the end of your prayer life. This just means that you need to adjust your priorities when it comes to prayer. God will give you a second, a third and forth chance until you get it right. Your prayer life is very important to God, He takes conversing with you seriously. So He will give you all the chances you need to get this praying thing right, but you must be willing.
What is it preventing you from praying? You must be honest with yourself. That's the only way that this evaluation will help you assess your prayer life. Okay, take a minute to answer these questions.
If you don't pray, do you want to? _________________________________________
If you want to pray, but you don't, what is stopping you?_______________________
Is it fear? Is it a lack of faith, or something else? _____________________________
Are you mad at God, or are you afraid He's mad at you? ______________________
If so, I believe you just don't know God. He is the most caring and loving being that you could ever have a conversation with. I don't believe He is ever mad at you; He's just waiting for you to make an attempt to contact him. The only way to do that is through prayer.
If you're married, do you miss your wife/husband? If you have a close friend, do you miss them when they don't contact you? There are things that people need in life to make them happy and have a peace of mind. This is important for the total human body to function and operate accordingly. Well, what about God. Do you think He cannot get lonely and need someone to converse with? Why do you think he created prayer? Perhaps, you thought prayer was just you asking for something. Well, prayer is much more than what we claim it to be.
There are many people who pray and don't know why they are praying. Although praying is significant to the believer's life, you need to know why you are doing it. Don't ever do anything without knowing the reason why you are doing it.
Prayer is a total conversation between you and God.
"His Lord said to him, well done good and faithful servant, you are faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things, enter into the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21)
Dishonest practice is the preventer of
success. Sometimes you just have to own up to the fact that something’s not
working. Face the fact that trying to fix the situation has failed.
