What keeps you from asking for prayer when you need it? Is it fear? Shame? Not wanting to burden others with your problems? Or is it really pride? I think most of the time it's a combination of a couple or a few or even all of these things. I think we get afraid of standing up in church asking for prayer in front of other people, I think we get ashamed of admitting something we might be struggling with or that we regret, and I know personally I often think that the things troubling me are too trivial or petty and that I shouldn't trouble anyone else because there are bigger problems that people should be praying for. The more I read the Bible though, and the more I come to know God, the more I believe that He means for the church to be a community working together, and praying together in all things, I don't think we are supposed to struggle alone.
We need to share and confess our troubles with one another, and pray for each other, maybe not always in front of the congregation, maybe you share with just a few praying friends but there is so much to be gained from sharing. I know in my own life that there have been times that I didn't want to ask for prayer or confess things that I have done wrong, but once I did I was free from the guilt, or problem and often found that others were able to relate and encourage me in my struggle or I was able to help them in theirs by sharing what I had been through. When you are struggling alone it is so much easier to lose faith, to become discouraged, and even to give up. I have seen this build resentment in people towards brothers and sisters of faith who have been blessed by healing, pregnancies, financial gain, or anything else that could possibly go right for someone, because this person is struggling alone without any encouragement, wondering why God is answer these other prayers and not theirs. Eventually, left unchecked, that resentment can lead to the loss of faith I mentioned before. When you are struggling alone it makes everyday seem hard and hopeless, even if you're believing and praying, I know this from experience, I used to live my life that way.
I wrote before on this subject and said then that I believed the fear and pride that held us back from asking others to pray for us was Satan's influence trying to keep us from victory over the situation. I still believe this, and part of why I believe this is because those emotions only serve to alienate you from the church, from people who might be able to help and would probably like too if they knew. I have found this to be true over and over again; in my life and in the lives of other individuals. Sharing our burdens makes them easier to bare, sharing our burdens allows others to show they care, sharing our burdens allows others to share what they have experienced to encourage us, sharing our burdens might even let someone else who is struggling know that they aren't alone, sharing our burdens allows others to pray with us and that is a powerful thing, because Matthew 18:19 tells us that anything that two or more believers pray for in agreement will be done. With so much good able to come from sharing, why struggle alone? Why bottle up the struggle and try to hide it when there is freedom, comfort, and healing in sharing?
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Matthew 18:19-20
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
James 5:13
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
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