Prayers for Each Other Matter So Much

We all have special people in our lives, people who mean a lot to us.  Some are family; some are closer than family.  Paul wrote to some special people like this in the Philippian church.  “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all” (Philippians 1:3,4).

I want to share some things about how prayer is so much a part of our close personal relationships.  Gordon MacDonald said, “People may not always realize it or express it, but they want to be prayed for”.  Not only do we want to be prayed for, we want those who pray to let us know that they are doing so. 

People often ask me to pray for them; it is a big part of my ministry as a pastor and as a friend.  I have a Post-It note that I keep in my day timer where I write down their name when I am asked.  I want to share several things about this prayer ministry we do for one another.

First, it is God’s will for us to saturate our thoughts and prayers with thanksgiving.  “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  God’s will means something God wants!  One habit that has been an encouragement to me is to just take a while and thank God for all the special people in my life.  Sometimes thanksgiving leads to praying for a need. 

When Paul told the Philippians that he gave thanks “in all my remembrance” this let them know that he was thinking about them, that they were on his mind.  What better way to let someone know you care about them?  He told them he offered his prayer “with joy”.  This is what real encouragement looks like.  I think of you; I like you; and I am praying about the things that are important to you. 

Let me suggest a step further.  When we pray for someone, we also need to follow up.  Let’s take a minute to let them know that we did pray, and then ask them how it is going with what they’d asked us to pray for.  There is an additional blessing that we get personally from this, we can record and give thanks as they share the ways that God answered the prayer! 

I’d once heard about a church that was really growing, and I asked a pastor friend what were they doing right.  He said he did not know that they were doing anything special in particular, but they were praying a lot.  When we pray, God does something special.  Let’s be that friend that prays and cares.