Pray Until Something Happens

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, October 19th, 2025:
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Luke
​18.1-8

Jesus told the disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.

He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for any human being. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’

“For a while the judge refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for any human being, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, God will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Have you ever prayed for something over and over, only to feel that Heaven is silent? I am experiencing this right now. Some days, after coping with back-to-back disappointing news and broken promises, I find myself numbing the pain with movies — but staying up all night watching 16 episodes doesn't solve anything. The problems remain, and the emptiness simply deepens. 

Thankfully, the Lord has taught me that, in times like these, prayer does something movies never could. Prayer connects me to the One who gives life and peace. Luke 18 reminds me that prayer is not a one-time act but a continual habit. Jesus says we ”ought always to pray and not lose heart.” This means that we pray when life is good and when life hurts. The enemy works full-time, so we cannot afford to be part-time Christians.

I learned the habit of persistent and continual prayer in my former workplace, where the unspoken rules — you must choose a side, agree with certain ideas, and even report on others to win favour — clashed with my strong desire to remain neutral. I refused to compromise just to fit in, but being true to my values was hard. For months I felt that I didn't belong. I was lonely and seriously considered quitting, but the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart: “Pray.” 

And so I did. Some days my prayers felt dry, other days they were full of tears, but I kept praying even when nothing seemed to change. Like the persistent widow, I kept coming back to God. I told Him, “Lord, You see this. You know how badly I want to belong, but I want You more. Please guide me.” Luke 18:7 says, "Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?" That verse became my anchor.

And then, just when I felt like throwing in the towel, God opened a new door. He exceeded my expectations with an opportunity for an international experience at exactly the right time. That breakthrough reminded me that God is nothing like the unjust judge. He is a loving Father who hears and answers our cries.

Now I see that persistent prayer is proof of enduring faith. It's not just about getting answers. It's about trusting God's heart even in the waiting. Faith is proven not when you find everything easy but when you refuse to stop praying until something happens.

Lord Jesus, I thank You because You are ever faithful. Please teach me not to give up but to remain steadfast in prayer, even when nothing seems to be happening. Help me to trust that You are working behind the scenes and will answer in Your perfect time. Amen.

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Michaelina Dawson-Otoo

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