Follow Through

“I’ll keep you in my prayers.” How often do we make this promise? I say it, but do I follow through? Do I always pray for a need earnestly? If I’m honest the answer is no. I give prayer lip service and that’s false advertising. I don’t want to offer prayer for the placebo effect . . . if you think I’m praying for you, you’ll believe it and feel comfort. I want to bring the real power of prayer to your concern. Yes, I will pray. I will take your need to the very throne of God and humbly ask for help and I will do it over and over till you feel the comfort I know God can give you. I know the power of prayer but I keep it to myself. I chat with God often but I don’t let anyone really know and in turn I don’t ask others to pray for me. I’m wrong. I must acknowledge the power of prayer, respond to requests for prayer and willingly make the offer to pray.

The Power. I think of every conversation with God as prayer. He’s a quiet partner at times yet I feel His power just because I gain so much comfort, insight, peace, understanding, or calm by mentally being in His presence. What a gift! Why not unwrap that and share it with others?

The Request. I hesitate to let others pray for my needs. I’ll talk to God on my own thank you, He and I have a nice relationship. However when I open up and share my burdens and joys and ask for prayer I receive more than I could ever think to ask for on my own. I am learning to ask for prayer in any situation. It’s easy to ask for health concerns or disaster fixes but any journey is more fruitful with prayer. Writing my new book was months of work both joyful and frustrating. I asked for prayer and it enriched the whole process.

The Offer. Since I’ve asked other to pray for me it’s easier to offer to pray for their needs. And I take those offers seriously. I only offer to pray if I know I’ll follow through. “I’ll be thinking of you this weekend.” And I do. I hold up whatever concern needs attention. “I’ll keep you in my prayers.” I say it. I mean it. I believe strongly in the power of prayer. It is a precious commodity I can dole out lavishly but only if I intend to follow through does it have any meaning. I am learning to follow through with practice.

Posted 2/6/2007 @ 8:59 PM | Weekly Thoughts