Prayer

Prayer

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

James 5:16

How many times each day do I encounter challenges that I could pray about? Often. How much time each day do I actually spend praying? Probably not enough. I’m presently aware of several crisis situations that family and friends are experiencing, and these concerns pop into my mind throughout each day. What do I learn from God’s Word that can help me with these concerns?

It’s interesting that the verse above begins with a call to confession. Sin brings great isolation to our lives. In the person perpetuating the sin, it produces selfishness; in others affected, it may produce unhealthy tendencies to hide the wrongdoing or protect the sinner. Confessing to each other removes these barriers and allows us to start afresh, focusing on God rather than ourselves.

Here are some practical ways of praying for specific needs:

• Pray using Scripture (see Psalm 25:8; 86:11; 119:37; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Hebrews 13:20-21).
• Pray at specific times each day—perhaps during your children’s naps or while you’re fixing dinner.
• Leave Post-it notes on the mirror or above the kitchen sink to remind yourself of prayer requests.
• Use time alone in the car to pray.
• Remember that caring and doing are great, but the Bible promises that praying is powerful and effective!

Father,

Thanks for the reminder from your Word that our prayers can be powerful and effective. Thanks for those who pray for us. May we be faithful to do the same for our families and friends. Amen.