Jan 27, 2009
Prayer Beyond the Self
I have a strong sense of late that prayer should be regularly made on behalf of others. So many days it seems like I’m either quieting myself to listen to God or asking for what I need: patience, love, generosity, peace, and faith.
The more I look around, the more I realize that life isn’t about simply making it through another day. I have contact with a wide variety of people in various situations. Some are really hurting right now. Whether family, friends, or people I meet in town, I’ve been realizing that as a Christian, a follower of Jesus, I don’t have the luxury of dropping back into my own little bubble.
As I thought about what I could do to help them, it came to mind that the place to start is prayer. I’ll be doing more than prayer in some cases, but there is no doubt that prayer must play an integral part.
I feel like my prayer radar is now a bit more acute. I’m learning to stop focusing on my own problems, something that will no doubt be a life-long struggle, and to pray for the people around me. Just learning that each day isn’t something to endure has helped. I’m praying for the positive side of that to become true in my life.
