The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Praying For Those In Crisis
The past two years seem to have been medical crisis piled on top of medical crisis for us. I was reminded the other day about how people have been and are praying for us. Generic “God bless them” prayers are not the kind of prayer God is looking for from us, His children. Yet when it comes to praying for those who are experiencing hardship, we are sometimes at a loss to know how to pray. God promises that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas. 5:16b).
In addition, 1 John 5:14–15 assures us that “this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”
Notice it doesn’t give us a timeline to answered prayer; it simply says God will answer in some way. His delays in answering prayer are not necessarily denials of the request. His ways and timing are beyond our comprehension because His ways are not our ways (Rom. 11:33). God chooses His own time, place, and method for answering our prayers. So when we pray for healing, for instance, it sometimes happens as an exit to this life, entering into heaven where there is no sickness or sorrow (Rev. 21:4).
Just as difficult events in our lives are no surprise to God, the answers to our prayers have also lived in the mind of God forever as part of the tapestry of each of our lives in this world. We should not be surprised, either, when God answers in ways we don’t anticipate. He is, after all, sovereign, omniscient, good, and the Almighty God.
So when we pray for our Christian brothers and sisters who hurt, either with illness, loss, or grief, we need to pray specifically. Here are some suggestions to pray for regarding others in crisis:
- Healing
- Comfort
- Encouragement
- Strength
- Wisdom for the medical staff involved
- Wisdom for those affected by the crisis
- Provision for specific needs
- Protection from spiritual attack
- To recognize and engage in the opportunities in their new mission field (medical personnel)
- Strength, protection, and wisdom for the caregivers(s)
- Help dealing with survivor guilt
- Help dealing with forgiveness issues
- To be humble learners of God’s lessons in their circumstances
- Show me how to encourage and help them.
So often we fret because we do not think we see answers to our prayers. But we cannot second-guess God, who is eternal, omniscient, and wise. He alone knows what will fine-tune us to the completion of His creation in each of us. He will give us the strength and grace that we need when we need it (2 Cor. 12:9), and He will not give us more than we can handle “but will with the temptation also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
