The Power of Prayer

I realize that everything I am and the success I've achieved come from God. So I pray to thank him for His many blessings and to ask for His blessings in all that I do.

I've prayed during times of serious concern, such as when I was awaiting a heart transplant. I've asked God to watch over my children and grandchildren. Sometimes it's that simple: silent prayer, "God help me," when facing a difficult situation.

But I also pray daily to express gratitude for major blessings as well as for the simple joys of life: giving thanks for my wife and family, a meal, or a beautiful sunset.

I realize some people are surprised to hear a person who has achieved worldly success talk about the need for prayer. Many people live their whole lives laboring under the delusion that if they only had enough money or power, all their problems would disappear. But nothing convinces a person of the inadequacy of money or power quite so fast as having some of it. Genuine wealth comes from the hand of God, and real happiness only grows out of faith and trust in Him.

Some believe they're self-sufficient and perhaps don't need to ask for God's help or blessings. Americans, noted for our "rugged individualism," want power over our own destinies. Then we're startled by a terrorist attack or a disaster of the magnitude of the recent Indian Ocean tsunami. Or maybe the death of a loved one or the prospect of a major surgery reminds us that life is precious and fragile - created and sustained only by God.

Despite how powerful or self-sufficient we might think we are, we need God. Our only hope is in the grace of God that sustains us. So whether it comes to my business, family, or personal life, I pray to Him for His leading and blessings.

Everything we have is truly God's; He only loans it to us for a time. No matter what our station in life or what our financial situation might be, God is more interested in the state of our hearts than in the status of our bank accounts. So I pray as a way to share what's in my heart with God. I pray to ask Him to do His will in my life so that I can become all that He wants me to be. I know from experience that prayer is powerful.

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Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.