By Michael Kelley

We should not be afraid to pray big prayers. There are lots of them in the Bible:

• Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still in the sky (Josh. 10:12-14).

• Elijah prayed for fire from heaven and then rain to end a severe drought (1 Kings 18).

• Nehemiah prayed for the heart of a pagan king to be moved (Neh. 1:10-12).

Sometimes we don’t pray big prayers because we have been disappointed in the answers to our previous prayers and we don’t want to feel that disappointment again. Sometimes we are afraid to pray big prayers because we lack the faith that God can and will respond to them. Sometimes we are afraid because it just feels foolish to do so.

We shouldn’t be afraid to pray big prayers like these. These accounts, and others, give us permission to do so. We pray big prayers because we have a big God for whom nothing is impossible. As the children of God, we have the enormous privilege of petitioning. We can come to God with big prayers. Prayers for nations. For leaders. For culture and society. For healing. For huge changes in trajectory. For people resistant and blind to the truth of the gospel to be awakened and brought to spiritual life. We can come to God because He is not only our Father; He is the ultimate power in the universe and is able to do exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine. That means even when our prayers seem outrageously big, they are yet small to God.

We should not be afraid to pray big prayers.

But then again, we should not be afraid to pray small prayers either.

Here again we might find ourselves hesitant - not because it feels like we are asking for too big of a thing, but because it feels like what we are asking for is too insignificant.

For quite a long time now, our family has prayed together after breakfast almost every morning. One of the joys I’ve had as a dad is watching how the prayers of our children have changed over the course of time. In some ways, they have gotten bigger.

When the kids were younger, they would often pray that they would have a good day. Or that the cut on their hand would stop hurting. Or that they would not have bad dreams at night. And then they started to grow, and so did their prayers. I’ve heard them pray for elections. For people they know that are in pain. For world events. For peace.

But one of the most beautiful parts of seeing this growth is that they haven’t outgrown the small prayers. They still pray for their busy days. For their quizzes and tests. For problems they have in their relationships. And there is a lesson adults can learn from this kind of praying.

Why can we pray big prayers? Because we have a big God.

And why can we pray small prayers? Because we have a good Father.

He is both at the same time. He is the God who moves the hearts of kings and causes the seasons to change, and He is the Father who provides our daily bread, whatever form that takes. Because of who God is, we can’t pray anything too big or too small. Let this be a comforting thought for us today - we the people who have big and small needs.

Michael Kelley is a husband, father of three, author, and speaker from Nashville, TN. His latest book is a year-long family devotional guide called The Whole Story for the Whole Family. Find his personal blog at michaelkelley.co.