I have a confession (I'm learning blogs are good for this). In my life, I have not been very good at intercessory prayer. Perhaps you are the same. If someone asks for prayer in your Sunday school class or in a mass email, do you really stop and pray for them? Do they stay on your mind and do you pray throughout the day(s)/weeks/months (if that's how long they need you to)?
Maybe you do. Until recently, I haven't.
But now it's different.
In fact, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, and that's because I feel more of a responsibility to do this now. I'm not exactly sure why it hit me all of a sudden. If you asked me to pray for you a few months ago, I might have remembered once - if at all. I feel ashamed to even say that, but it's true.
And then...I began to have people call me personally and ask for prayer. Sometimes they have been in tears as they tell me their prayer need. I thought to myself, "But God...there has got to be someone other than me that they could have called who would have been more dedicated to praying for them!"
And He replied, "But they called YOU."
I've also been getting more personal emails from friends or acquaintances. Not mass emails, personal requests sent to just my address. Again, I felt as though I was inadequate to pray for them. But I have learned that ALL of us need to be willing to do this for one another.
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16
This tells me that I can approach the throne with confidence! I do not have to doubt that I can pray for these friends just as powerfully as anyone else! What a wonderful verse.
And while I still feel a bit overwhelmed with specific prayer needs that have been brought to my attention, I know that God must have put my name in the mind of the friends who asked me to pray for them.
So I'm praying...a lot...
Last Night As Family of Five
8 years ago
5 comments:
Isn't it wonderful though?! I know how it feels sometimes to be so overwhelmed with prayer needs (I actually keep a hand written list by my bedside), but in the same breath as I feel as though I just can't keep them all straight, I feel so privileged to know a God that will listen to them all! :0)
I'm definitely going to have to keep a prayer journal! And I'm so thankful He listens to me directly, I can go to Him about everything at any time! Lots of times it's in the middle of the night when I wake up...there are lots of prayers at 2:00 am from me! :o)
Thank you for posting this. I myself am guilty of saying" Sure, you know I will pray" and then never give it a second though...My eyes have been opened. They are askin ME to pray for a reason!!!
Chrissy, your blog is so encouraging! I'm glad I found it, and am glad you are so transparent about your life:) Definitely glorifies God and encourages the rest of us. :)
This is EXACTLY what I've been thinking about. I am guilty too, because a lot of times I will forget what/who I'm supposed to be praying about or sometimes it just seems too overwhelming. As Ashley said, I did try writing down prayer requests and that helped before but I'm not sure why I stopped. I just feel as if someone asks you to pray for them or you say you will, that is a major responsibility and they are depending on you. We should be faithful to what we say we're going to do, even if they don't know if we really prayed or not. Being in a situation where my family is depending on others who say they are praying, I now see how important it is and I want to do the same for others. Thanks for being honest!
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