Prayer is an essential component of walking with God. Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancy addresses the many struggles Christians encounter in regards to prayer. It combines practical examples, personal struggles, and theological teaching about prayer.
Some of the following quotes will give you insight into the book.
“The real value of persistent prayer is not so much that we get what we want as that we become the person we should be.” (pg. 153)
“Like a child who quits badgering a parent, I have sometimes found that I get an answer to my persistent request after I have learned to do without it. The answer then comes as a surprise, an unexpected gift of grace. I seek the gift, find instead the Giver, and eventually come away with the gift I no longer seek.” (pg 154)
“I may go through a period when it feels like God is absent, but if God were truly absent everything in the universe would cease to exist.” (Pg. 209)
“Just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care. Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”- Garth Brooks (pg. 230)
“Being present with someone I love is never a waste of time, especially if God is the one with whom I am present.” (pg. 287)
“Prayer operates by different rules, God’s rules. We do it in secret, so that no one notices the effort, and the results- God’s results, not ours- come in surprising ways, often long after we expected them. Prayer means opening myself to God and not limiting God through my own preconceptions. In sum, prayer means letting God be God.” (pg. 296)
Prayer is about knowing God and less about God acting like Santa by giving us everything we want. After reading this book, you will be inspired to have continual communication with God. It is a great book to read alongside another book, so that you do not become overwhelmed. I read it over the course of several months while reading other books. However, once you become intrigued, it is difficult to put down. If you are struggling with questions about prayer or have an earnest interest in knowing more about prayer, I recommend you read this book.