(photo credit--click here to participate in this lovely prayer chain)
I crumpled on the cool bathroom tiles, crying. I'd learned something deeply painful about my husband and my sons. I was away from home and had zero control over the situation.
I cried out to God, asking Him to help, to intercede, to speak to the hearts of those involved. But my prayers felt so weak and insignificant. I, too, felt weak and insignificant.
And alone. But like I mentioned in last week's post, I am never alone.
Normally in these moments of struggle, I kneel in prayer in a quiet room by myself. It's between me and God. But this time, I felt a strong need to reach out to others for prayer. I listened to that need and immediately reached out.
I connected with my life group ladies, my sisters, and other prayer-warrior friends. I gave them a brief summary of why I was struggling, and asked for prayer.
Then I felt it...the love, the strength, the courage, the peace. It rolled over me in a tidal wave of goodness.
All of that prayer may not have changed the situation, but it changed me.
When we're struggling, it's natural to close up and be tempted to handle everything on our own. It's sort of a self-preservation thing. I can handle this. No one else needs to know how broken I feel.
Perhaps that's true some of the time. It's not healthy to be in constant struggle, or daily pouring out our business to other people.
But there are moments when we're in deep need of prayer by others. It's o.k. to not have it all together all the time, and it's o.k. for others to know, Hey, I'm on the edge here. I'm sending out an SOS.
You may be feeling lost, scared, confused, bitter, broken, and powerless. You may cry in the middle of the night, and wake with a heaviness you can't seem to shake. You may feel afraid to reach out, because then someone will know that all is not right with you. I understand those feelings.
Let me encourage you to reach out to someone you trust--a close friend, a family member, a local church (even if you don't attend). There are multiple ministries that have websites and phone lines where you can ask for prayer. Here are the links for Trinity Broadcasting Network, Joel Osteen and Rick Warren's Daily Hope.
Finally, I am always here for you. I'd consider it an honor to pray for you. Each comment on this blog is monitored and published by me and me only. I approve comments before they appear in the comments section below. Simply leave a comment asking for prayer. I'll read it, pray over you continually, and then not publish the comment. No one will know except you and me.
We all need people in our lives who've got our back, and who we can turn to in times of trial. You'd want to know if someone you cared about was struggling, right? Well, the people close to you would want to know you're in deep need. Let them help you. Let them pray over you. Then let the flood of those prayers give you the peace you seek.
Until next time...
