Saying Prayers

I recently drove by a church with one of those little quips posted in the roadside sign. It read: Saying Prayers Will Decrease Your Cares


I understand the sentiment, but for me, the opposite seems to be true.

Saying prayers seems to increase the amount that I care. When I have prayed about something or someone I am much more interested in the outcome. I am more likely to ask follow up questions or send an email or pray another prayer when something jogs my memory.

Saying prayers increases the number of facets I pray for a situation. A prayer for a friend to have a good trip turns into something that includes her rest and rejuvenation, her witness to her unsaved family, her love to grow for the family at home, ease in the airport and beauty in her travels.

Saying prayers seems to open my eyes to more things to pray about. An internet article challenged me to pray for other countries. Other countries!?! I don't even keep up to date with what is happening in this country, yet as friends traveled on mission trips I prayed for those countries, a pending over-seas adoption prompted prayer for another country, a country's national disaster resulted in more prayer.

Saying prayers increases my reliance on scripture. Recently I have encountered some situations that I didn't "know" what the outcome "should" be. (Do you think God is trying to tell me something?) In an attempt to pray honest prayers I began to pray more scripture. "Father, I don't know what's best in this situation, but I pray that they would 'forget the former things and not dwell on the past. Father, do a new thing this year in their life.'" (Is 43:18-19)

I still feel like an infant in the process of maturing as a pray-er. But I am excited about praying for more than healthy babies, safe travels and good days. Not that those things are insignificant, but I want to pray in such a way that my prayers truly increase my cares.

Comments

Shauna said…
Oh, kind and faithful friend. Your prayers have meant more to me than you may ever know. This season of my life has been difficult to pray at all, but I know that I have been carried and sustained by the words of others being lifted up the Throne of Grace. Thank you, and thank you for this post. I am encouraged.
Love
Shauna
March 21, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Stephanie said…
Beautiful. Thanks for the excellent reminder to pray fervently, to pray often, to pray with passion.
March 24, 2009 at 4:37 PM
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