The post was long, and I almost didn’t read it. I strictly stick by my rule of only 15 minutes a day on social media. But something told me to read on.
I’m part of a private women’s ministry page with Christian communicators and pastors’ wives. They share a lot of emotionally challenging experiences. I’m privy to prayer requests and heartbreaking details of hurts collected via the church and organized religion.
But back to the post, it was from a grieving mom whose adult son lived thousands of miles away from her. Some personal problems led her child to call home, and it was an unusual move on his behalf to break down in tears.
This brave mother was begging for anyone who might be in that part of the country to reach out to her son. As I read the personal details of her story and all the responses that flooded in, tears filled my eyes.
Surprisingly, there was someone in that area who not only counseled the young man but invited him to church. The next morning, mom reported that he was heading to church encouraged and so was mom.
Wow, God, that’s what we really long for, I whispered. We want someone to feel our burden and pick it up when we ask for prayer.
When people ask us to pray for a loved one, I’m not sure we get the angst behind the request. If you aren’t a momma, then you’re not going to feel the apprehension of a desperate child hundreds of miles away.
It’s hard to feel another’s burden for a loved one if we’ve never walked the same path or our heart is distracted or indifferent.
After reading this post, I realized that I’m aching for someone to be Jesus to my burden when I request prayer. I think that’s what we all want when there is someone we love that needs Jesus in a big way.
Often, we won’t be the ones who reach our loved ones – more than likely, God will use someone outside the family.
It’s made me think about the next time someone asks me to pray for their loved one. Could I possibly do more?
Can I be intentional and reach out after I pray?
Can I ask God to provide divine appointments that put me in that person’s path?
Can I think of my friend’s burden as my burden?
I imagine God would work gloriously through us if we saw every prayer request as a burden that needs action.
So the next time you’re asked to pray, remember, you may be the one God sends to be the pursuer or the helper. You may be the one God says … go get ’em and don’t let up.
Love you, and I mean it!
Mel