Sometime during my upper teen years, I read the journal of David Brainerd (1718-1747), and like so many people before me was deeply influenced by David Brainerd’s passion for God, commitment to prayer and missionary zeal.

What I 徱’t know was that David Brainerd had a missionary-pastor brother, John Brainerd (1720-1781), who took over David’s missionary work with Native Americans when David passed away from tuberculosis at age 29. I recently finished reading a of the two brothers.

One joyous surprise was the inclusion of three months of (the lesser-known) Brainerd’s journals, which apparently is all that has survived from John’s decades of journaling. In those journal entries, I encountered a man who was not only committed to prayer — in the sense of praying a lot — but also deeply concerned that he engaged his heart when he prayed. John appears to have been regularly evaluating whether his heart was rightly directed during his times of personal prayer.

I want to share with you today snippets about prayer from John Brainerd’s journal in hope that they will rekindle a passion for prayer in you as they did in me. Note that these snippets about prayer appear alongside other reminiscences of evangelistic outreaches, extensive traveling, health concerns, pastoral visits and preaching — but I’m only drawing out the comments on prayer. All were written in the year 1759 (265 years ago) when John was 39 years old.

Tuesday, August 15

In my evening devotions, I had considerable freedom and comfort. O Lord, I humbly thank Thee for all Thy kindness and goodness unto me, most unworthy!

Wednesday, August 16

Had some comfortable freedom this morning in prayer.

Same day, evening

Then I returned home and attended family and secret duties, in which it pleased God to give me much freedom and comfort. Blessed be His holy name!

Friday, August 18

I felt much unwell in body myself, and so returning home, attended family and secret duties, in which I hope I had some taste of divine things. Blessed be the Lord!

Monday, August 21

…attended family prayers and secret devotions, in which I had comfortable composure of mind and something of freedom. Praised be the Lord!

Lord’s Day, August 27

Had some taste of divine things in holy devotions this morning and was still very unwell.

Saturday, September 2

I had some real desire after God this morning in secret prayer for precious souls, especially for the poor Indians.

Thursday, September 7

Conversed with several people who came to see me; afterwards I began to transcribe my journal. But I felt so exceedingly weak in body that I was not able to write, so I spent some time in reading; felt somewhat dejected, but after dinner, I spent some time in prayer, in which I found considerable freedom. Blessed be God! All the world appeared as nothing to me and God seemed to be all in all; it was the earnest desire of my soul to glorify Him in heart and life. It pleased God to give me considerable freedom this evening, especially in prayer; returned home and spent some time with a Christian friend, and afterward attended family and private worship, in which I had some outgoings of my soul to God. Blessed be His holy name!

Lord’s Day, September 17

I spent a considerable part of the morning in secret prayer, in which I hope I had a real sense of divine things, but had no special enlargement.

Same day, evening

Afterward I returned home and attended secret prayer, in which I was favored with very comfortable outgoings of my soul to God.

Lord’s Day, October 1

Arose somewhat later than usual this morning and first of all, endeavored to commend myself to God in secret and beg His gracious presence and assistance in the duties of the day.

Same day, evening

I then read several chapters in the Bible and afterwards had private worship with some freedom and comfort. Praised be the Lord for all His goodness to me!

Thursday, October 12

Discouraged by some of the white people as well as the Indians; observed their manners and behavior were very light regarding prayer…. Thus I could not but be affected by the sight of these people and felt an inward desire to retire alone and pour out my soul to Him, which I did and it pleased our gracious Lord to give me considerable freedom and enlargement.

Lord’s Day, October 29

I returned home and attended private and family prayers, in which it pleased the Lord to give me some comfortable freedom and refreshment. Blessed be the Lord!

Lord’s Day, November 19

I had some real sense of God and divine things today in worship; Oh, that God would daily increase the same! I had much sweetness and calmness in my soul, and so throughout the evening I earnestly desired to be wholly devoted to God and perfectly free from sin; oh, how sweet is such a feeling! Oh, how much does it surpass all that the world can possibly afford! May I ever live with and for the blessed God; may I wholly die to all temporal things and be wholly wrapped up in the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.

Tuesday, November 21

I attended holy duties in family and in secret; Oh, how apt is my poor heart to wander from the blessed God! Oh, it is most affecting that I should wander from Him, who is in Himself the best good and only satisfying portion of my soul! Oh, when shall I be delivered from this body of death, and drop this world’s earthly chains and fetters?

As I read these entries I found myself longing, with deep groanings of heart, to call out to God during times of personal prayer and find the comfort and encouragement and conviction—and even sometimes glory!—that John knew during his times of prayer. Oh, how I long for the “outgoings of my soul to God,” the “composure of mind,” the “taste of divine things” and the “freedom and enlargement” that John sometimes knew because of his commitment to dedicated prayer.

My longings intensify when I read these sentences: “All the world appeared as nothing to me and God seemed to be all in all; it was the earnest desire of my soul to glorify Him in heart and life…”. And a little later, “may I wholly die to all temporal things and be wholly wrapped up in the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.” Oh, Lord! I long for the same! Oh, God! Ignite in me the same yearnings to meet you in prayer!

I hope that reading David Brainerd’s comments about prayer will also help you move toward a more intimate and heart-felt life of prayer. I’m thankful today for the way God has stirred my own heart while reading these words.

Notes

I extracted these snippets from chapter 8, “John Brainerd’s Journal,” in a recently published biography of the two Brainerd brothers: by Mack M. Tomlinson (Reformation Heritage Books, 2023), pages 93-104. Thank you, Mack, for writing this book, and particularly for including the remains of John Brainerd’s journal.


This and other resources are available at .