Day 13 - Pray for Those for Whom You Do Not Normally Pray
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27
Prayer is a spiritual exercise. That is, it is not something done in our own power and ability. God’s Holy Spirit lives within us and prompts us to pray. The Bible says that he helps us in our weakness. Because we do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit makes God alive in us, prompts us to prayer, and even intercedes for us when we pray.
Have you ever, for example, felt a sudden desire to pray? It may be a prayer of thanksgiving, a prayer of petition, or the need to pray for someone else. These promptings are the work of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit in us awakens us to God and invites us to prayer. When we feel those promptings, we ought to take time to offer a prayer to God. God is inviting us into relationship with him. It may also be that God wants us to pray for someone else because he intends to do them good. He will do so by his grace and in response to our prayers.
At times we may find it hard to pray. We do not feel the Spirit when we pray. Our mind and spirit may be so crowded with the things of this life that we feel the spirit of the world more than the Spirit of God. In these times, we should pray anyway. It may also be that God is testing us to see if we will pray when we do not feel like doing so. This is why Romans 12 encourages us to be “constant in prayer.” That is, keep praying in all circumstances and at all times. Pray “in season” and “out of season.” The effectiveness of our prayers is not measured by how we feel when we pray. We pray because we believe God is listening, not because we always feel close to God when we pray.
Today pray for someone for whom you would not normally pray and who might need God’s help.