My heart is heavy tonight, Lord, and there is a part of me that longs to reach out to not only You, but to my fellow Christians. But there is something unexplainable that holds me back.
I enjoy bringing others requests and concerns to Your throne. I do so as often as I can. I do it joyfully and without reservation. So why is it that someone who so loves to come to You for others hesitates to ask others to do the same for herself?
I suppose pride is one element here. No matter how long we've been Christians, how often we've spouted the mantra that none of us are perfect or that we're here to bear one another's burdens, it’s still hard for us to admit that there is an area in our lives where we need prayer. It's difficult for us to allow others to see or hear about our weaknesses. Try as we may, it's a constant struggle to release ourselves from the "I'm Christian, therefore I always have it all together" club.
Another factor is fear. Afraid that someone will find my request trivial. That I will share the desire of my heart with someone and they'll think it's the craziest thing they've ever heard. Fear of being rejected or revealing myself in difficult ways only to have the request fall on deaf ears. Afraid that I'll hear someone whisper about the details of my personal life once they believe they've gotten out of earshot.
A feeling of not being important enough comes into play here, as well. If there are crisis situations or serious illnesses, then we think it's ok to ask for prayer on such issues. We don't want to bother anyone with the minute details of our life or walk with God. They have enough on their own plates, after all. Any request worthy of asking for a moment of someone else's time be spent on it should be earth-shattering, life-threatening, world-changing. Right?
But Lord, I know that we all have times of trial, failings and concerns. I know that none of us are capable of handling all that life throws at us alone. I know that not only are You always ready and waiting to help us during those times, but that You have created Christians to be in fellowship for one another for times such as this.
I know that most of us who call ourselves by Your name have hearts that long to be like Yours. We want to have concern and compassion for our fellow Christians. We want to bear burdens for our brothers and sisters- be they miniscule or grand. We want to be helpful to others just as we know that there will be times when we need help ourselves.
But we can’t help in any situation that we know nothing of. We have to be willing to listen to the needs and concerns of others, and just as willing to allow others to hear our own. We must always have the same attitude toward problems that our fellow Christians have that we would hope they might have for ours.
Help me, Lord, to remember that my fellow Christians are journeymen on this wild ride we call life with me. Help me to remember that any burden becomes lighter once it is shared with another. Help me to remember this when others need me, and especially when I’m in need of others.
I Love You, Lord.
Copyright 07-mgw
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