The Lord shows us new things even as we get older. I’m learning new ways to pray, new depths of communion with the Lord, and new ways to worship Him.
After years of being a pastor’s wife I’ve learned to be able to pray for anyone and everyone and even their cousin. I’ve prayed for children with cancer and those who are closed off to God’s love and redemption. I’ve prayed at the bedsides of those passing into glory and those that the Lord has healed.
With all these things in the back of my brain and heart, sometimes it’s hard to think of my prayers and hurts as valid and worthy of prayer. Lately though, He’s allowed me to ask for more and more prayer. I’ve begun to ask for prayer for myself.
I’ve been in need. We’ve had transitions both professionally and personally. We’ve had serious medical illnesses and changes of roles in taking care of our aging parents. We’ve had what seems to be spiritual attacks on our family and times of unknown darkness.
Some of these have been little attacks, stones thrown at our firm foundation in Christ. But enough small stones can do their own amount of damage. Uncertainty spreads, eating away at your heart and soul.
Through this the Lord has repeatedly turned me to 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. Paul is writing to the Corinthian church about the suffering he and Timothy experienced in Asia but how it was necessary for them to not rely on themselves but on God for all their comfort and their very life.
Verse 11 says, “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” Paul asks the people of Corinth for prayer for a very specific reason and it’s one that we in ministry need to remember: the more people pray for each other, the more people rejoice when the Lord answers.
In ministry we often feel alone, or set apart by God. Sometimes this lends itself to loneliness or feeling like we need to pour out when we really want to be poured into. We need to remember that the more we share with others (within reason) the more God receives the glory.
Others want to pray for us, want to be a part of what God is doing in our ministries. We need to remember that sharing our struggles with others opens the door to deeper understanding and mutual relationship that draws us closer together as the body of Christ. And isn’t this what ministry is all about, bringing others closer to each other and closer to Christ? Reach out to others who can support you and encourage you, ask for help and especially for prayer.
