How do I begin praying for someone else?

27 Apr How do I begin praying for someone else?

Read Colossians 1:3-14 (NLT)
Thought for the Day: I can take time to pray for the people I meet.

Try something: For the remainder of today, start a tally of every time you hear someone say something like ‘I will pray for you’ and/or ‘thoughts and prayers’. While we live in a society that is often very hostile to Christian values, many members of our communities are at least open to the idea of prayer. So, every time you hear someone use the word ‘pray’ or ‘prayer’ today, take a moment to silently pray for him or her. But if you aren’t sure of how to begin or what to pray for, take a moment to follow the example of the Apostle Paul…

Writing to the Church at Colossae, Paul began his letter with a reminder that he repeatedly and continuously prayed for them. Later, his letter goes on to discuss the freedom we experience through faith in Christ, as well as concrete practical advice for holy living. But, before any of that, Paul took time to make it clear that his support for them began with praying directly for them: “We have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you.” And – he was clear in what he prayed for. Paul prayed for the Colossians to grow in WISDOM and STRENGTH.
Today, each time you hear anything involving ‘prayer,’ take a moment to:

1 – Ask God to help this person grow wise. Wisdom is a balance of experience, knowledge, and good judgment lived out in our daily lives. God’s wisdom is a free gift offered to each of us.
2 – Ask God to help this person grow strong. True strength is not physical or mental but comes from surrendering to Jesus and letting Him lead.
We know that God asks us to love our neighbors. Let’s slow down and pray for those we come into contact with today to grow in wisdom and strength!

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David