Counter Culture: Pray For One Another — Friday
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (NIV)
Cancer treatment takes a long time. If you or anyone you know has ever been through it, you know this is true. There are moments of highs and lows. Exciting news and big disappointments. But most of the time, it’s just one day at a time, one step at a time, one treatment at a time. It’s hard to know what to pray for. “Heal my wife”—done that. “Help her not get sick this time”—that, too. “Protect our family, give us peace”—sometimes I wonder if God is as bored with our prayers as I am. There have been times when I’ve gotten up in the morning, fixed myself some coffee, and sat down on the couch to pray, and literally the only thing I could get out was, “Remember what I prayed yesterday? Yeah, it still applies.” Then I laid my head on the back of the couch and fell asleep. I’m not proud of it, but it’s real. Remember earlier in the week when I said prayer isn’t perfect? It’s not.
That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. He knows what your greatest needs are and is able to communicate them to the Father flawlessly. Romans 8:26 calls it groaning, but I’m not sure it’s even audible. You see, God cares for us so much that He is always providing what we need even when we don’t know we need it. Our inability to pray does not keep us from being heard. This is great news.
When we take time to care for someone in crisis, we may feel totally inadequate in our prayers—like what we have to say won’t even reach the ceiling, much less the God of the Universe. But if we listen well, cry with them, hold on to them, and lift them up—even in our helplessness, God hears us, and He answers even without us saying a word.
*Update: Although Amy is still in active treatment, we are grateful to say there is currently no evidence of disease in her body.
Friday’s Reflection
This week, spend time with someone who needs you. Remember, being with them is more important than what you say in prayer. God can handle the rest.