What do you do to give comfort to others?
I really don't consider myself a good comforter. I very seldom find the right words to say and I am an awkward hugger. I am quick with the Kleenex though. Show me some tears and I will find you a tissue!
Tissue and prayer, that is what I give. Somehow, offering prayer never seems to be enough, when in fact it is the best and strongest thing we give. Have you ever said to someone "all we can do is pray"? Why do we do that? Use prayer as the fall back, the last resort. It is in fact the strongest weapon in our arsenal! Prayer changes things, it changes people. It changes YOU. It can be the ultimate in comfort.
At this very moment I know people who are going through overwhelming struggles, life altering battles that I cannot even imagine. Things that a tissue can't fix. But my prayers can. Reaching out to our Father, sharing the worries and concerns of our heart and asking for His presence in the midst can make all the difference.
Father,
There are people and situations on my heart right now that I can't share in this public space, but you know them. You know the deepest worries, the darkest fears. The life and death struggles that are taking place in the lives of people that I love. Please Lord, be with them all. Be in the midst. Be the comforter that I can never be. Pour your strength and healing and overwhelming love into each life. Heal bodies, deliver souls. Make a way through what seems to be impossible. Thank you for hearing my prayer, for hearing all of our prayers, the cries of your children never go unheard. I love you Father. Amen
 |
| One of my favorites |
Don't forget to click over to Thursday Thankfulness and check out my gratitude post! :)
Ever notice that someone asks for prayer and we (ok me) says, "I'll pray for you." Why not stop right there and pray. Oh I know it embarrasses the sweet bejesus out of 90% of the people I know and it does say to pray in our closet, but there is that 10% that says, "Wow, she really did pray." I don't want to be fruitless. I also have a prayer software on my phone.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that tendency in myself as well. I manage a prayer group at work and have been stopped over the course of the work day and asked to pray several times. It never gets easier, praying publicly.But it is always worth the effort. What software do you have on your phone? I have tried several apps but haven't found one I really like....
DeleteThis is something I think about a lot. I agree with you about the "all we can do is pray" thing. As if beseeching God, Himself, on behalf of ourselves or someone else is a small thing. But still... it feels like we must DO something, no? Silly humans. I have started the "drop everything and pray" approach to things and when people request prayers. It has amazing power. Of course. Duh.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, Tamara.
Hey Lou! Thank you for stopping by. I agree, the drop everything and pray approach is very powerful. And so difficult sometimes. It is tough to overcome that sense of being watched and judged, being seen as silly or weird. But really, most people aren't thinking that when they see you praying, and if they are it is really a small price to pay!
Delete