What do you do when you hear that a friend or a loved one is ill? What’s the first thing that comes to many peoples’ minds, whether they are Christians or not? Pray. We often hear bad news and we say we’ll pray for the sick person, the family that is struggling financially, or the student who has an important test coming up, the list goes on. But how much time and effort do we put into that prayer? Many would sheepishly answer with little to none. But the Bible instructs us to do the opposite. How much effort should we put into it? What goes alongside praying? What happens when a prayer doesn’t seem to be answered, or at least the way you’d like it to be? I’d like to briefly and informally address these situations.
In my lifetime, which hasn’t been very long at all so far, I’ve had my fair share of illnesses in the family, of conditions that were incurable, or tragedies that everyone says shouldn’t have happened. What brings comfort after hearing bad news? Only God can, and we pray to Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to “be unceasing and persistent in prayer,” AMP. What does it mean to be persistent? Well, every time you have a moment, and I mean every available moment that your mind kind of spaces out or boredom kicks in, you know what I mean, pray. Thank God for what He blesses you with. Ask Him for help. Ask Him for healing for someone. But you have to understand this: God answers all prayers, which means He can answer them with a “no”, or “not right now.” About two years ago a very close loved one became very ill, and the whole process taught me something extremely important that I don’t think many people understand. I prayed and prayed fervently for her to be healed. Every time I prayed, I prayed for her. But she passed away not long after she had been diagnosed with her illness. What I didn’t understand was why it had overcome her. Why had I asked and prayed and hoped for healing, and she died anyway? God soon answered with comfort and reason. He answered my prayer for healing. She was healed, healed forever. So when we pray for healing, God will answer, whether it be the person gets better and recovers or they go home to be with Him. Some of you might be asking, “what if the person I love isn’t saved?” Here’s your answer: We should always do everything we can to preach the gospel to someone we know is not saved. It isn’t anything that we ever do, it’s all God. And something hard that we all have to come to terms with is that not everyone we know and love will be saved. So when they leave this earth, it is more difficult than losing a fellow brother or sister in Christ. But you can know this: God has a plan for everything and everyone, and that person was not in His plan, you are not to blame. It’s hard going through life knowing someone you loved died unsaved, but Jesus knows exactly how we feel. He loves everyone, and He cared for many many people while He was on earth, but not everyone came to love and know Him. Jesus grieved for the loss of people. You can see it clearly in the story of Lazarus’s death. He mourned with Mary and Martha. But you can’t get angry with yourself or with God for someone’s death, whether they were saved or not.
When we pray, we can’t do a five-second, “Heal so and so please Lord,” and be done with it. We have to take time just like in anything we care about or any relationship, we must take time and careful communication. We’re told to do everything in prayer and supplication. I like the way the Amplified Bible puts it, “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].” What comes to your mind when you read the word “petition?” It’s not standing quietly by and letting something happen without doing anything about it, but rather, it’s respectfully asking or begging for change. When we pray, we also must be thankful, give thanks and gratitude to God for giving you someone you love and care so much about. Thank Him for another day to live. Thank Him for everything. Ungrateful prayers do not prove to be very fruitful.
Next to prayer, we must fast. In modern Christian society, no one really thinks or cares about fasting. Most think it’s pointless or has nothing to do with prayer. I used to be that way. But I know now that fasting and prayer go hand in hand. When you are praying over someone with zeal, you need to be fasting as well. You don’t have to fast from food necessarily, but from something that consumes you a lot or brings you great pleasure. Abstain from food or drink, go a day without sweets, skip a meal, or all of them if you can. Fasting can also be from using your phone, watching television, or something that consumes your thoughts. When I take a break from my phone in the spirit of fasting and prayer, every time I want to pick up my phone, I pray about whatever the great need is. Many might wonder though, doesn’t the Bible say to lay everything at the Father’s feet in prayer? Meaning, don’t pick up the burden again? Yes, but it doesn’t mean you can’t pray for someone like this. Don’t let it worry you, don’t let it cause anxiety or depression, don’t let the situation take over your thoughts and mind, but in the proper mindset of prayer, when you think of someone who needs it, pray for them. Pray to the point of exhaustion, but don’t let your worries take over, don’t let the situation itself burden you after you’ve laid it at the feet of the Lord.
Finally, when we pray, it is not like talking to ourselves or saying empty words to an empty sky. You are addressing the God of the universe. Take it that way. Treat Him with respect. Jesus instructs us in the Lord’s Prayer, to begin with glorifying our Maker. Don’t jump right into asking and petitioning. And when we do pray, He does hear us, every single word. Jesus is our advocate, and He intercedes for us. 1 John 2:1b says, “we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father,” AMP. In the context of John’s letter, he is giving encouragement to all of us, telling us that when we sin, it doesn’t bar us from talking to God, that’s why Jesus is our advocate. Because He is perfect, our prayers and petitions are heard by God. Nothing can or will ever prevent us from praying to God, it is holy. So dear readers, don’t ever give up on praying. Don’t think that because you’ve sinned you can’t talk to God. Don’t think that because He didn’t answer a prayer how you wanted it answered that He doesn’t care. Ask Him for forgiveness, He will give it willingly. When a prayer is answered, but not the way you wanted it, don’t be upset. He has a plan for everything. There is a time for everything. We are not going to always understand why some things happen. Some things are not for us to know in this life. But take comfort in knowing that when you pray, you are talking to the King of Kings, God of the universe, and He is listening. To put it into a very human-minded perspective, think of how you would address a monarch of another country. You wouldn’t be disrespectful to Queen Elizabeth, would you? But addressing God is on a much larger scale. He isn’t the King of England, He’s the King of Creation. He knows everything that’s troubling us, He knows everything we ask for before we ask it. He has a plan and a response to all our prayers, but we must not be selfish when our prayers contradict His plans. He is perfect, therefore His plan is perfect, and we might not understand them, but we can know that He loves us beyond comprehension. Take heart, pray, petition, and fast, and do all with thanksgiving, love, and respect.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31
Comments