I have a confession to make.  I’m not a fan of praying out loud or with other people.  I’ve always been that way.  Recently I was talking to a dear church friend, who I’ll refer to as LM.  LM is a very wise friend that I talk to often when I’m struggling with something.  She’s always been there without judgement or quick fixes.  Throughout my struggles, she always points me right back to Jesus.  I’ve always admired that about her and how she handles her children with such grace, also pointing them right to Jesus.

LM was over here as one of her girls had a doctor visit nearby and she didn’t want to take her entire crew with her.  We got talking and I opened up about some struggles I have been having.  After we chatted, she asked if she could pray with me, like she had done many times before.  Of course that was fine.

After she prayed, we got talking again.  I admitted that many times I feel weird praying out loud.  She said she has also struggled with praying out loud with other people, but that the best way to get over it was to just do it!  She challenged me that when someone came to talk with me or seek my advice to stop what I was doing and pray with them.  Whether it is in person, over the phone, or through text.

Often we hear of people’s struggles and add the “I’ll pray for you” in response, but do we always remember to pray?  I know I don’t!  Sometimes I’ll get distracted and it won’t be until days later that I remember.  If I stop what I’m doing right then and bring it before the Lord, I’m more likely to remember to pray again later.

James 5:16 says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”  You can find another reminder in Matthew 18:19-20 – “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Such sweet reminders of how we are to pray for and with each other throughout our daily lives.  I want to challenge you to be bold and to just pray.  Pray for your friends.  With your friends.  Pray out loud.  Pray in the shower.  Pray in the car.  Pray while you fold the laundry.  Pray with your kids.  Pray with your spouse.  Just pray.

How do you make time to pray each day?