Let Them Know You’re Praying
I remember the days in middle schoolwhere I would run in the door, wait ten minutes for our 30-pound computer toboot up and another five for the infamous AOL dial tone to let me know I wasconnected to the World Wide Web.
Once on, I would jump straight onto AOLInstant Messenger and see if any of my friends—who I had just seen atschool—were online. But what really sent my heart soaring were the gloriouswords, “You’ve got mail!”
Today, I groan a little inside when I seemy email inbox full, mostly with junk email from stores where I’ve made onepurchase. Getting an email just isn’t as special as it used to be. But in astrange reversal, I love opening my physical mailbox and pulling out anenvelope hand addressed to me.
What made middle-school-me thrill at anemail from my summer camp pen pal and current-me excitedly open a handwrittennotecard? It’s the same desire—to feel remembered. To know that someone tookthe time to boot up an old computer or find a stamp just to let me know theycare for me.
While prayer is intimate communication between a person and God, it’s also a way to unify and encourage believers.
While prayer is intimate communicationbetween a person and God, it’s also a way to unify and encourage believers. Oneway to do this is to let others know you are praying for them and whatspecifically you are praying. This is not a boast about your prayer life, but away to love others through your intercessions. Paul spoke about his prayers toalmost every church to whom he wrote:
“…that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers…” (Romans 1:9-10)
“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16)
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy.” (Philippians 1:3-4)
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you…” (Colossians 1:9)
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2)
“…as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” (2 Timothy 1:3)
“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers.” (Philemon 1:4)
Why did Paul think it necessary to letthese churches and individuals know that he was praying for them? Paul was notboasting about his vibrant prayer life but encouraging the believers that theyare not alone. Paul is fighting alongside them in their spiritual journeythrough his prayers. He is reminding them that God is at work, and he isspurring them on to pray these same prayers for themselves and others.
For the same reason I love to knowsomeone took the time to send me a letter, letting someone know you are prayingfor them shows that you care for them in the deepest way. You are fightingtheir spiritual battles with them. They know that when they share a strugglewith you, you are taking it to the throne of Heaven and claiming God’s promiseson their behalf. It is the pinnacle of unity in the Body of Christ when we prayfor one another and tell each other of God’s faithfulness through our prayers.
It is the pinnacle of unity in the Body of Christ when we pray for one another and tell each other of God’s faithfulness through our prayers.
So how can you let others know that youare praying for them?
1. Send them a verse you have specifically beenpraying.
I can picture it in my mind soclearly. Early in the morning, my sweet grandmother sitting in the window seatof her bay window, looking out over her backyard, wearing a cute cardigan. Inher lap sits the thickest of notebooks with sticky notes poking out every whichway. Her eyes are closed, and I know she’s praying.
How do I know this? For one,I’ve seen it when I’ve visited. But I’ve also been reminded of this picture oncountless occasions when I’ve woken up to a text from her. She’ll let me knowthat she’s praying for something specific that I’ve shared with her and theScripture she prayed for it that morning.
This does two things in myheart. It encourages me to know that my grandmother thought of me, reminding methat I am not alone in my struggle.
It also reminds me of God’spromises. Sometimes when we’re in the midst of a struggle, we can’t see Godworking. By sharing a passage that relates to their prayer request, you areshining the light of truth into their situation. You are giving them the toolsto continue to fight their battle with the strength of God’s Word.
This can be as simple as atext, or you can send them a note reminding them of your prayers with the versewritten on a card. Either way, you are providing them with a visual reminder ofthe power of prayer.
2. Remind them how you have seen God work in theirlives.
Because of my grandmother’sinfluence on my life, I have been keeping prayer journals since I was incollege. I have many old notebooks stashed in my desk, and I like toperiodically take them out and think back over my past prayers.
Sometimes my prayer requestsmake me laugh (physics tests seemed like such immovable mountains when I was18), but it also deepens my faith to remember how God has time and time againanswered my prayers. But if we’re not looking, we may miss his faithfulness. That’swhy it’s important to not only pray for others but to celebrate with them whenGod answers.
It’s important to not only pray for others but to celebrate with them when God answers.
One of the sweetest memories of thispractice is at the rehearsal dinner of a close friend. I had been praying forthis friend for years while she went through a difficult relationship. Weprayed together for restoration, for God’s blessing, for guidance. Butultimately, it was God’s will for that relationship to end. She washeartbroken, but I prayed for her throughout the heartbreak. And a year later, hereI was, a bridesmaid at her wedding to a godly man neither of us could haveenvisioned when we were praying for that difficult relationship years before.As a gift, I photocopied the prayers I had written for her during thatdifficult season. I checked each of them off, because God had provided in a waybeyond our imagination. This encouraged her prayer life, deepened her faith,and caused her to rejoice even more in the faithfulness of God.
3. Regularly ask them how you can be praying forthem.
While there are good generalthings we can pray for each other regularly—wisdom for decision making, comfortin suffering, boldness in Gospel proclamation—we should be intentional aboutpraying for specific requests in others’ lives. Some of these specific requestsmay be obvious, but we will never know how to pray for the inward spiritualstruggles if we do not ask. While we may know that a friend is suffering withan illness, we do not know what lies the enemy is tempting her with unless weask.
The simple question, “How can Ibe praying for you?” again has a two-fold effect. You are letting them knowthey are not alone, promoting unity in the Body, but you are also subtlypointing them back to Christ with whatever their struggle is.
It’s so simple. It takes a fewseconds. That person who just popped in your head—close your browser and open atext. Let them know you’re praying for them today.