Here’s another of our favorite posts from the last five years—originally featured on March 3, 2011—on removing masks and the power of prayer.
Let us know how we can pray for you below, and we’ll choose one of you at random on Friday, January 18, to receive What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn Christenson. (More importantly, though, will you take off your mask with someone in your local church body?)
Last week was particularly tough at the Davis household. I was working on a really tight writing deadline. There was no room in my schedule for unplanned interruptions. Apparently, the nasty staff infection that invaded my husband’s hand didn’t get the memo.
On Monday, I got a call from my husband that a wound we dismissed as a bug bite was actually an infection caused by a strand of staff that does not respond well to medicine. The doctors were considering admitting him. They were almost certain he would permanently lose the use of his hand. I wanted to pray but I couldn’t get words past the lump in my throat. I feared for the well-being of my man, I had to care for my two small children, and I was anxious about meeting my deadline.
At that moment, a friend called and I broke down. She prayed with me and asked if she could recruit others to pray. I didn’t want to sound rude, so I said okay. She kept her word. Within a few hours tons of people were praying for our family. They called and texted with encouraging Scripture or by simply saying “we’re praying.”
Here’s the funny thing. All of that prayer didn’t make me feel better. At least not at first. The emotion that I felt the strongest that afternoon was embarrassment. I didn’t like everyone knowing that things weren’t perfect behind our front door. I didn’t like the feeling that I couldn’t pray myself out of this mess all on my own. Most of all, I didn’t like the harsh reality that I couldn’t keep all the plates spinning.
The Lord tenderly dealt with my heart that day. He reminded me that He created the church to be a support network, and He called my reluctance to ask for prayer what it really was—pride.
As I gave my husband his pain medicine, tucked him in to bed, and sat down to eat the dinner that some praying friends were sweet enough to drop by, I thought about the pride of not sharing how people can pray for me. When people ask, I rarely have a reply or I go for something safe and surface like “my kids have a cold.” I rarely go deep and open up about the areas of my life where I really need God’s power to create change. I’m realizing that if I want to see the power of prayer in my own life and in the lives of others, I need to get real about the broken places where I need God to work. That means admitting areas where I am weak and cannot do it on my own.
James 5:13-16 says,
“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
This verse tells us to call the leaders of our churches when we're sick, to confess sins to each other, and to pray for each other. Why? So that we can be healed.
Ladies, I am learning that part of why God has placed me in a church family is so that I have prayer support when I need it most. But in order for it to work that way, I have to take off my mask of perfection and say, “I am struggling. Will you pray for me?” If I keep offering up only trivial prayer requests, I cannot tap into the true power of prayer.
I can attest that the last part of that verse is certainly true. The more people that prayed, the more we saw an improvement in my husband’s health. Last Friday, he was released from treatment with full use of his hand. Doctors marveled at the change as they saw his infection healing and his hope remaining steadfast. When people asked him what made the difference, he was quick to point to all the prayers. Also, in what can only be described as a “loaves and fishes experience,” God multiplied my time and energy and I made my writing deadline. I know that if I had refused to ask those around me to pray, this story would have a much different ending.
How about you? Are you willing to get real about areas where you need others to pray for you? Or will you just stick to the surface stuff? Is there an area of need in your life that you think you could never share with anyone? I encourage you to find a praying friend, take off your mask of perfection, and ask for help.
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We love hearing from you, and will post your comment as long as it is appropriate, and is written in a tone that is encouraging, edifying, and loving to others. Even then, know that the following comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Revive Our Hearts.
Comments
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 6:26 am
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 9:39 am
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 9:46 am
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 11:26 am
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 12:23 pm
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 12:41 pm
I am having some surgery next week and have had many offers of help while I'm recovering, which I have declined out of pride, and not wanting others to see me so vulnerable. I see how wrong that is, and I'm going to call some of those women today and accept their offers of help.
I'm also going to stay on my knees before God and ask Him to help me become more transparent and real to the people around me.
Thanks for this post!
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 1:06 pm
I am so speechless where Mrs. Heidi and Sherry Ann are concerned. I so pray and ask that you would extend your gracious and loving and healing hand and help these precious women and they're amazing families and that you would do sweet and wonderful things in their lives Dear God. I can only imagine how your emotional state could be off at a time like this (Heidi). so Dear Lord please take over and give sweet peace to Mrs. Heidi and Sherry Ann both and be to them both everything that they so desperately need now and in the future. In Jesus sweet name. Amen. Please help them Jesus!! Amen.
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 1:20 pm
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 3:03 pm
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 6:08 pm
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 9:08 pm
Blessings to all!
on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 10:12 pm
on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 1:17 am
Thanks for all that you do, these blogs are really helpful and encouraging!!
on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 9:27 am
@SPC…Praying for you—asking the Lord to hear your earnest pleas and look down with mercy to give you direction and provide for your needs with full-time work. Our Prayer Team is lifting your need before the throne of grace.
@Mandy…I am praying for you this day that God will set you free from this addiction. If you will write to me at info@reviveourhearts.com, I will be happy to send you a resource that just might prove very helpful to you. Know that your prayer request has been forwarded to our Prayer Team; they pray individually and specifically for each request we receive.
@Susan…Joining you in prayer for your sweet daughter. Bless her heart; this must be very painful and trying for her. We pray God will open her womb and give her His peace above all as she waits upon Him.
@Jennifer…Heavenly Father, only You can release a man from an addiction. I pray You will work in Jennifer’s husband to bring conviction of sin and cause Him to long for the right way of life. Give him the strength to stop what he is doing. Give him a burden to take care of his wife and sons in such a way that they are secure in his love and provision. May they each see Your hand in their lives—would You move in such a way that they will marvel at the story of redemption in their family. Protect Jennifer and her sons in these days; preserve their faith and trust in You. Reveal Your great mercy and grace to them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
@Joyce…Be assured of my prayers along with the prayers of our Prayer Team. We do indeed pray that God will let the light of His Son shine in your heart in such a way that your spirits are buoyed up and there is a lightness in your soul.
@Rebecca…Bless you for your response to the post. I pray God will watch over you throughout the surgery, and give wisdom and skill to the surgeon. May your recovery be swift and blessed as you know the grace of God through His people.
@SherryAnn…Lord, we ask that you work in SherryAnn’s life so that they would have the provision of a home. They need Your help, Father, as these things are beyond what they can do. Give them wisdom, give them grace, give them provision. Most of all, let them know of Your deep love and care for them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 4:00 pm
on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 4:06 pm
on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 10:50 pm
on Friday, January 18, 2013 at 4:40 pm
on Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Praying Job 42:2 for you/this situation. Job says to God, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted."
Praying, also, for endurance in prayer and encouragement from the Word for you.
I was encouraged by Hebrews 2:8 this morning: "Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control." This, too, is under His good, wise control.
Blessings,
paula
on Monday, January 21, 2013 at 1:32 pm
on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 12:25 pm
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to Him,
for God is our refuge.
One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that You, O God, are strong,
and that You, O Lord, are loving.
God bless you, Laurie.
on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 4:30 pm