“I’m praying about that.” At times when I hear people utter those seemingly godly words I feel irritated. Shocked? It’s just there are certain times we need to move and take action. But I have heard people stand behind the ironclad claim of prayer for eons and thus seem to be making a godly choice, which I see as otherwise.

If God’s word provides clarity, obedience to His word accompanied by unceasing prayer is the next right step (James 4:17). If God’s word and people’s counsel do not provide clarity, a wisely calculated step of risk accompanied by unceasing prayer is the next right step (Proverbs 3:5-6). Are we hiding behind prayer to avoid taking the next courageous step?

David picked up five stones and slayed a giant. He didn’t spend all day praying about what to do. Interestingly, we have no record of any prayer that day, though I am not asserting none occurred (I Samuel 17). Confidence in God was displayed through decisive action. Stepping out boldly in faith is a key part of the Christian journey (Hebrews 11). Sometimes we just need to bend down, pick up the five figurative stones, and confidently throw them at the known target, praying the whole time for God’s will to be done (Matthew 6:10). God definitely wants and commands us to pray, but He also expects us to act boldly and courageously in faith (I Thessalonians 5:17; see the example of Jonathan in I Samuel 14).

Be careful of using prayer as a cop-out.

For those on the opposite side of the prayer spectrum and who are naturally quick to take action (that would include me), you might find my post about impulsiveness to be more beneficial. We’re all in process. Know yourself. Know Christ. Become more and more like Him. For some of us, that might require we slow down and spend more time in prayer. For others, it means as we pray, we simultaneously bend down and confidently pick up five stones. God’s got this. Can we show the world we trust Him by boldly taking action?