Praying Hard

How often do you "pray hard"? You probably know what I mean by that, but just to be certain: praying hard is when you really dig into a specific subject of prayer and extend your prayers with more specifics, more frequency, more requests, and more fervency. I have been "praying hard" about something lately that the Lord has thrown into my life, and it is truly a wonderful grace.

When God gives you something that is urgent, or that causes you stress, it is more than just a challenge. He is giving it to you in your life, firstly for the broader circumstance (especially when it involves a loved one). He wants you to pray for the situation and be a part of its resolution. Secondly, He gives it for your sake. He wants you to be changed by the action of "praying hard" because it effects us personally in our sanctification. Thirdly, He gives it because He is teaching you about the situation so you can understand it better.

Praying hard is not just a spiritual exercise; it has much to do with how God wants all His people interconnected and involved in each other's lives. If you never pray for anyone other than yourself, the consequences should be obvious: you will never care about anyone other than yourself. When we are drawn into a painful situation it always has some kind of connection to someone else. Nothing is completely isolated (thus, the "no man is an island" phrase).

So thank the Lord that He chose you to be connected to whatever that problem is. Whether it is someone else's problem that you are connected to, or it is your problem that draws others in, He wants you to be involved. He wants you to learn about the situation and others who are connected to it. He wants you to be "praying hard".