One morning as I readied for work, I was suddenly urged to pray for a friend from church and to text her a written prayer.
Although I didn’t know any specific details, I knew she was going through a tough time with her teenage daughter. I asked God to bless her and her daughter and thanked Him for His active work and involvement in their lives. I also asked God to grant my friend extra doses of His wisdom as she parented and guided her daughter and thanked Him for the transformative work He was doing in their lives. I ended the message by asking God to cloak their hearts with His peace and grace and to remind them of His closeness and presence as they went through their day.
I immediately received a text back thanking me for the prayer, noting that I had no idea how timely it was. Weeks later, my friend shared that when I texted her, she was walking into the principal’s office with her daughter and the local police, preparing to discuss the consequences surrounding her daughter’s recent actions. I knew it was no coincidence that God placed it on my heart to pray for my friend and to send her that prayer. He wanted her to know He was with her and her daughter and would help them navigate the challenges with peace and grace.
Prayer is powerful and produces wonderful results, even if we aren’t privileged to see those results in our immediate circumstances or the timeline we expect or desire. When God places it on our hearts to pray for another, He likely has a good reason.
Obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting to pray for others. God will use you to encourage, bless, and love those around you.
Emily Marszalek enjoys the simple pleasures in life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Nick and their two Goldendoodles, Charlie and Lucy. She loves jigsaw puzzles, animals, rock music, and all flavors of birthday cake.