One of the most-used phrases in our Christian communities is “I’ll pray for you” or “I’ll be praying for that.” I also believe one of the most-used lies we tell people in our Christian communities is “I’ll pray for you” or “I’ll be praying for that.”
Please understand: I’m not pointing the finger at anyone—rather you are witnessing me falling to my knees in repentance. It is so easy to say those words to someone or about something (natural disasters, cities in crisis, world problems, etc.) than to actually stop what I am doing to speak to the One that has the power to help in any situation or crisis.
When thinking about how I have abused those words just because I want to be kind to someone in a time of need, I have been a fool, neglecting a gift that was given to me by the death of a perfect King. His death effectively paved a highway of communication, linking me to the one true almighty God. In light of this reality, I need to stop using that phrase unless I intend to take action and actually PRAY.
But Is Praying Enough?
Now that I have that off my chest, I want to ask an important question that has been swirling around in my heart and mind over the past couple of days: Is prayer enough in a time of disaster? Or should we as His church focus our efforts toward other methods of assistance?
The Holy Spirit reminded me of what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Brothers and sisters, God comforts us so that we may comfort others. Let me say that again: God comforts us, the Father and creator of real true comfort and compassion so that we can have the opportunity to comfort others in times of affliction.