The other day, I talked to a friend who’s really struggling in her marriage. Her youngest child is testing her boundaries at every turn. Add to that financial worries, and she is one stressed-out sister.
We spent over an hour on the phone dissecting these issues as only girlfriends can do. My heart broke as I listened to her discouragement.
And as we were hanging up, I told her that I’d be praying for her.
… I messed up.
Rather than pray for her right then and there, I instead offered her… later prayers.
When we do that, we’re missing the opportunity to intercede in the moment for someone who needs a touch from Jesus.
Rather than immediately calling down the Kingdom of God to rest on their circumstances, we choose to do it… later.
We miss it.
But make no mistake. All prayer is good – both now prayers and later prayers.
And while I will – without a doubt – make good on my promise to cover her and her family in prayer, I should have lifted her up while on the phone.
She needed a now prayer!
You see, when we wait to pray…
- We miss the opportunity to help their situation shift… immediately.
- We risk conveying that their struggles are not that important to us.
- We miss out on the chance to encourage their spirit.
Ugh. Aren’t we all guilty of it?
Every one of us has offered later prayers for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes we’re just not in the mood to pray.
There are times we’re just too tired.
We might not think our prayers are good enough.
Sometimes we don’t know what to say.
We are intimidated to pray out loud.
But when we skip the now prayer, we miss something as well … A seriously power-packed experience.
God tells us to pray together for a reason.
“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” (Matthew 18:18-20 MSG)
Simply put… make praying together a NOW response to every difficult situation or need you come across all day long.
Because when we pray together, God is there and ready to move on our behalf.
It doesn’t need to be some big production.
You don’t need a perfect environment.
You don’t even need a fancy Christianese vocabulary.
What you do need is a heart willing to stop and pray for another.
And if time is limited, your prayer can be as simple as, “Lord, will you comfort Carey as she works through all the struggles facing her today.”
Prayer is powerful.
The ability to go before the throne is one of the most potent tools we have against the Enemy.
And when we go together, it’s prayer on steroids.
Why?
Because praying with others moves God into action. He shows up.
So when you get the opportunity to intercede together… don’t pass it up.
Sisters, be bold in your prayer life.
Embrace its power.
Take every chance you get to lift someone up to the Father, on all occasions and at all times.
Don’t only offer later prayers.
Do it now.
†††
REALITY CHECK: Be willing to pray for someone in the moment… even if it feels uncomfortable.
†††
©2013 Carey Scott
Check out my “101 Ways to Praise a Child” printable! Free thru March!
Let’s Connect! Follow me on Twitter… Pin with me on Pinterest… Book Me to speak at your event… Like my Facebook Ministry Page.
