This morning, I awoke with heaviness on my heart. No, I wasn’t about to have a heart attack. I was thinking about someone I know and the difficult circumstances threatening to tear him down. As I prayed, asking God to comfort and encourage that person, I sensed God gently remind me: I have put you in this person’s life to comfort and encourage him. Do it. You are an answer to your own prayer.
Hmmm…I wonder how often we pray for others, those we know and love or maybe those we’ve never met, asking God to bless them, feed them, protect, comfort and encourage them, but never take any God-inspired action to do any of those things for them? Yes, there are many situations which we are powerless to change except through fervent prayer. But how often are we missing God’s specific call to be the answer to our prayers? How often have we possibly ignored an opportunity to be a blessing to someone through just spending time with them, making food, comforting and encouraging the grieving or discouraged through our loving presence, sending an encouraging text message, etc…?
So maybe the next time you pray for someone, ask God to show you whether you can play a part in answering that prayer 🙂
