It has been said that problem-solving is about learning to kick something into a higher orbit, that is, to reframe or evaluate the dilemma in the context of a bigger picture. The ultimate way for Christians to problem-solve is to take the problem into the heavenly orbit. The Bible is more than a self-help manual on improving life; God is not a guru pointing to a better way to live. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). To have eternal life is perfectly synonymous with knowing God. And therefore, prayer to Him is more than a cool problem-solving technique that we say works when we get the answer we want. What about when we pray, and it doesn’t “work”?

To speak of prayer as working without reference to God betrays an impersonal perspective that puts our needs ahead of God. It is God who works, not our prayers! He is alive and active, as the God who is there for us. Prayer connects us to Him. Mark it well; this is not a minor distinction. It is He that is there, not the answer to our prayer. The difference is fundamental. Kicking our need to a higher orbit is not a matter of pulling rank on all earthly powers, influences, or circumstances to get what we want, a miracle of some sort. No, it is about putting our predicament into the context of who God is and His desire for our relationship with Him. Our problems propel us into the Lord’s presence. Our need is not for a solution, but for God Himself. He is our solution, no matter how our prayers get answered.

With this understanding, we can grasp verses like that found in James 5:16, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”