What a difference an outside source of power can make! Before the invention of the threshing machine in the late 18th century, separating grain from the stalk and husk took considerable time and effort. Today, in most of the world, the combined tasks of reaping, binding, and threshing are usually done by a diesel- or gasoline-powered harvester, and one farmhand can harvest more in a day than a hundred farmhands could previously.

You can apply the same principle to your own work, whatever it may be. You may think you are working efficiently and accomplishing a lot through your own efforts, like the hand-threshers of a bygone era no doubt did. But like them, the various challenges you face each day probably leave you feeling exhausted and drained. Why thresh out life’s problems “by hand” when there’s a great “machine” available, driven not by your own blood, sweat, and tears, but by God’s infinite power? The machine is activated by prayer.

Stop now and list the main tasks ahead of you today, then ask God to help you with them. Before beginning each task, ask God to give you the guidance, strength, skill, patience, love, or whatever else you may need to do it right, and claim one of these Promises of Power. As the task progresses or new factors enter in, pray again accordingly. And if an unexpected challenge should present itself, rise up to meet it with God’s power—pray. Make an effort to do this over the next few days, and see what a difference prayer makes. ■