Without God’s guidance, our actions are empty

I’ve written about the power of prayer many times here. About how it can transform a life, enlighten and guide us. Inspire us. Still, even the most faithful will ask if prayer alone is enough.

So after the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, when hearts were raw and families were grieving, many started asking that proverbial question — and answering it — in the negative.

One example was Jen Psaki — yes, the former Biden press secretary turned MSNBC talking head — had the gall to say it plainly enough: “Prayer is not enough.”

Think about that. Children were killed while praying inside a Catholic church, and Psaki’s first instinct isn’t to mourn with the faithful, but to lecture them. To sneer at prayer. To essentially tell the grieving that their way of seeking comfort, their way of seeking God, is inadequate. Folks, that’s not compassion. That’s contempt.

Compare that to vice president J.D. Vance. He said, “We pray because our hearts are broken. We pray because we know God listens. We pray because we know that God works in mysterious ways and can inspire us to further action.”

Now there’s the truth. There’s humanity.

There’s faith. That’s the difference between someone who understands the role of God in human suffering and someone who only understands politics.

You see, the Left can’t stand prayer because prayer acknowledges that there is a higher power than government. When people pray, they’re saying, “We trust God more than we trust politicians.” And the Left can’t handle that. They want the government to be your god. They want Washington to be your savior.

So, when tragedy strikes, conservatives say, “Let us pray.” Liberals say, “Prayer is not enough; we need laws, we need control, we need power.” They frame it as compassion, but it’s really about authority. It’s about sidelining God and putting themselves in His place. That’s why Psaki can’t even let prayer stand unchallenged.

But here’s what makes it ridiculous: nobody said prayer was “enough.” Nobody said you pray instead of acting. We pray so that we can act with wisdom, strength and courage. We pray because without God’s guidance, our actions are empty.

The Bible tells us that faith alone, without works, is dead: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” You know this, I know this, but the Left apparently doesn’t.

So Psaki attacks a straw man, as if believers think prayer is some magic wand that solves everything. But what prayer really is — what J.D. Vance nailed — is communication with God that changes us, strengthens us, inspires us to take meaningful action.

We pray because our hearts are broken.

We pray because in times of tragedy, human words fail and human strength falters, but God’s strength never does. We pray because the Bible tells us to.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We pray because Jesus Himself prayed. In Gethsemane, in His darkest hour, He prayed. If the Son of God prayed, how much more should we?

We pray because prayer is not a sign of weakness; it is the most profound expression of faith and dependence on God. Prayer acknowledges that life is not random. That tragedy is not meaningless. That even in the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us.

And prayer does something else. It changes the one who prays. God listens, yes. But in the act of prayer, our anger turns to compassion, our despair turns to hope, and our faith turns to action.

So when Psaki dismisses prayer, she’s not just being tone-deaf; she’s mocking the very thing that has carried humanity through suffering for thousands of years. And when J.D. Vance defends prayer, he’s not just making a political point; he’s affirming a timeless truth.

You see, we pray not because it’s “enough,” but because it’s necessary, especially in a culture that mocks faith, thanks to people like you, Ms. Psaki.

We pray because it works, not because you approve.

And we always will.

Louis R. Avallone is a Shreveport businessman, attorney and author of “Bright Spots, Big Country, What Makes America Great.” He is also a former aide to U.S. Representative Jim McCrery and editor of The Caddo Republican. His columns have appeared regularly in 318 Forum since 2007. Follow him on Facebook, on Twitter @louisravallone or by e-mail at louisavallone@mac.com, and on American Ground Radio at 101.7FM and 710 AM, weeknights from 6 - 7 p.m., and streaming live on keelnews.com.