Inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I’m going to get these words out there right away so I don’t have to say them again – COVID-19, coronavirus, isolation, quarantine, stay-at-home. These are words we are hearing all the time on the news, in conversations, on our news feeds, at work, at home, etc. You get it… everywhere. Regardless of who you are, these things have most likely affected you in some capacity within the past few months.
The world has slowed down significantly, which has had an incredible effect on our lives, whether it be on our family life, relationships, health (physical, mental, emotional), job, spiritual life, you name it. Some of these changes have been incredibly positive in my life. I have so much more time to DIG into the word and spend time in prayer, that I have been seeing a ton of fruit in my spiritual life. However, there are also many areas of my life that haven’t been going well – areas where I feel I am in a drought and in desperate need of prayer. I often catch myself with negative thoughts and feeling lonely, yet I forget about the hundreds of people who love me and care deeply for me. But, to be honest, it is so easy to get stuck in a rut and be so focused on my own situation that I forget there are trillions of other people in this world who are going through their own unique difficulties during this time.
Job loss.
Sickness.
Stress.
Financial strain.
Relationship stress or loss.
Lack of safety within the home.
Mental health.
Loneliness.
Feelings of hopelessness.
These are just a few things - there are MANY more.
Perspective.
There is a lot of brokenness that is being shoved out into the light at this time. A lot of pain, a lot of hurt, and a lot of struggles. I will be the first to admit that I have been very selfish lately. I am guilty of looking way too closely at my own situations that I have been ignoring the bigger picture. I forget that, not only am I in need of prayer, but just about all of the people I love and care about need prayer just as much as I do.
So, I’m going to challenge you. You’ll have to step outside of your comfort zone. I promise, if it’s anything like my experience, you’ll learn something.
Pick five people. Pray that God can give you the names of five people.
Right now.
Write them down.
Got them? Good.
Now, send them a message, give them a phone call, write them a letter, or something along those lines containing something encouraging and then ask them how you can be praying for them.
We (you and me BOTH) are CALLED to be praying for others. Check out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 1:9-12, and James 5:16 (referenced below) to see for yourself. These are just a FEW of MANY times in scripture we are called to pray for others. I chose to do this because I have been feeling convicted for a while now that I need to be reaching out more to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I need to be caring for them, serving them, encouraging them, loving on them ALWAYS, but ESPECIALLY now. This conviction proved to be absolutely correct. When I did this, I got some incredible responses. There is a huge need right now. Not only this, but it also helped me to shift my perspective from my "me-centric" tunnel vision on my own situations to realizing I am not the only one who is struggling. It helped me to see more of the bigger picture - so much that I didn't stop at five and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.
So, what are you waiting for? Take that leap of faith, pick FIVE (or more!), and let GOD do the work.
***
Scripture References:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.
Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through hall the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
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