One of the books I regularly re-read is Everyday Prayers by Scotty Smith. Prayer is not one of my strengths so I like written prayers. I like these prayers in this book. They are real. They “get’ me. 

Like this one: “A Prayer About Burden-Bearing Love.”

It listed these painful situations.

…The woman who just got confirmation that the mass in her breast is malignant…

…The dad who just lost yet another job in the fragile economy…

…The couple whose two-year wait to welcome their adoptive child just ended childlessly…

…For the parents who’ve spent all and who are spent from trying to rescue their daughter from the ravages of an eating disorder…

…The friend who preaches a powerful gospel that bears fruit in everybody’s children but his own…

…The friends who are having to pay a great price for a misdiagnosed medical condition…

…The couples who are sleeping alone in the same bed…

That list causes me to feel pain. One of those from this list specifically hits me hard. This morning I noticed how I didn’t want to feel such pain during my morning devotions. I just wanted to get through and mark this item as done.

Then the truth hit me. I need to allow myself to feel this pain so I can pray better for my family and friends.

It is easier to numb myself while knowing their need and praying for their need.  I stay numb so I can continue on with my life without too much interruption or feeling. Check.  This item is done.  I said I would pray and I did.

This is the truth again.  I need to allow myself to feel this pain so I can pray better for my family and friends.  

An ironic twist to this is–to allow myself to feel their pain will actually help my distracted prayer life.

This decision takes bravery. I need to choose bravery even in my prayer life. Especially because as I’ve preached often: Prayer changes things. Prayer changes things we can’t.  I need prayer to move things in the supernatural to reach my healing about my still imprisoned son or to relieve the stress of a car issue that another son bears.  The hope of moving things in the supernatural is a blessing that only we believers have.

This is tough. This feels.  This feels vulnerable.  Numbed prayer is easier.

Be brave.