I’ve had a quite amazing response to my question, “How can I pray for you?”
I’ve had something like seventeen responses (maybe more by the time this goes live). SEVENTEEN. That’s seventeen people who I didn’t pray for yesterday that have asked for prayer for something. At least half of those people asked for prayer for issues I didn’t know they had.
Seventeen – and that’s just from the tiny community of people who read my blog posts and my tweets. If you asked the same question of your readers/friends, you’d probably get a lot more responses.
I have been taken aback by the realization that I’ve been missing something.
I started thinking today about what I’ve been missing and it’s simply this:
I’ve been talking, occasionally teaching, reading and commenting but I haven’t been truly listening and connecting.
I’ve been doing mostly superficial stuff and I haven’t been going beneath the surface very much. I’ve been talking about being the Church but missing actually doing it.
I’ve been missing people’s hearts and their hurts. I’ve been missing what being the Church is all about.
I’m thinking and praying about how I can change this. How can I find people’s needs and meet them every day of every week of every month of every year of the rest of my life?
How can I connect with people in such a way that I am hearing about and responding to their prayer needs?
You may be much better at this than I am, In fact, I know some of the people reading this have much deeper relationships with each other than I have with them. However, I rarely get asked “What do you need prayer for?” or “What can I do to help you today?”. Do you ask people those questions very often?
I think we’re all missing the point of what the Church is somewhat and it’s time to change!
If you have any ideas how to change this situation, I’d love to hear them and if you have any prayer requests, I’d love to pray for you. Please just leave a comment below or send me a message using the ‘Contact’ tab near the top of this page.
Great post Peter! Truly listening is such a huge gift to give someone and can make such a difference.
“I’ve been missing people’s hearts and their hurts. I’ve been missing what being the Church is all about.”
This is so true and something I’ve been thnking about A LOT. Amazing that many things I’ve read lately have been on similar subjects. Thanks for the continued encouragement to be this way.
I don’t think you have really been missing anything….I don’t normally share what I told you…But I’ve read your blog enough and tweeted back and forth with you enough to open up and tell you. Had you posted yesterday’s post on the first day I read your blog, I’d have said “That’s nice that he wants to pray for people”, but I would not have felt like a friend (cyberfriend) who could tell you those things, much less ask you to pray about them.
My point is, I don’t think you missed anything. I think God is leading you step by step through the process. You can’t fault yourself for not getting from A to Z in zero time flat. You are letting God bring you along in the process, and that’s a good thing. 🙂
Ooo, great perspective, Helen.
Today is a better day. The church drama is still there, the broken friendships are still there, but they aren’t ruling over me today. Today, I don’t feel the sting of hurt and anger.
Thank you for the prayers. I have peace and I needed it so badly. I will pray for your prayer ministry God has given you.
Marni
I’m glad things are getting better Marni. I’m still praying though!
I think Helen’s right! Sometimes we are convicted and other times we are just hard on ourselves. Jesus even said “take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” We’re all learning to live in His will, in His Kingdom! It’s a beautiful thing. 🙂
I do agree though that it’s often hard to be fully present and we need to learn to do that, but God is faithful as we commit ourselves. Grace covers and enables His life to flourish in us not the other way around.
Peter, if there are things that are superficial, God will help you see how to correct it (just as He does with each of us). He’s patient and He’s doing a great work in me and you. Thanks Peter!
I often think of that song “What if the people prayed” So true, we could move in mighty ways in our churches and out in the lives of others. I am on my church’s prayer team and stilll struggle with brokeness in the church and have a hard time praying at times, but realiziation is key. When we start to see the stuff God makes us aware of, let’s open our eyes, and our hearts to Him, pray for wisdom, power and help. Thanks Peter for this blog, it’s so wonderful to watch eachother grow in Christ. Perhaps we as bloggers need to start praying for each other on a regular basis. I’m in!! Robin