Please pray for my family

[Chrysostom]

Your request has been heard and we are bringing you and your family before the Lord in prayer. We hear how heavy this season has been, with your father suffering a heart attack, your mother in poor health, your beloved dog still sick after costly care, weeks without work, and now the refrigerator failing. It is indeed one trial after another, and it is right that you have turned to God and asked others to pray with you. Glory be to God for your faith in reaching out, and may He give you strength as you wait on Him.

We want to encourage you to continue in prayer with perseverance. Scripture teaches us to pray at all seasons and not to limit prayer to certain times, but to pray without ceasing. We remember the widow who prevailed by her importunity, the friend who at midnight shamed his friend into yielding by his persistence, and the Canaanite woman who by constancy of entreaty called forth the Lord's compassion. Though we may feel unworthy, we often by perseverance become ready to receive. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, and bring your needs openly to Christ as that mother brought the servants to Him, so that the request is made by many.

In these afflictions remember also what is greatest. The health of the body is a great thing, but the health of the soul is far greater, because the soul is its own mistress and must choose to obey God. He who fashioned our bodies can reorder them not only to health but to vigor, and He can deliver souls from every infirmity and bring them to excellence. Do not despair when you have fallen into hardship, and do not put your trust in riches or in the abundance of possessions. A person is not poor who has nothing, but who desires many things, and is not rich who has much, but who needs nothing. Your poverty does not hinder you from the kingdom, and wealth alone cannot keep anyone from sorrow. Despise not the trials, but learn through them to set your hope fully on what is to come, while trusting God for your daily needs.

So we pray for you now. Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son, through whom alone we have access to You, have mercy on this family. Lay Your healing hand upon the father and the mother, restore them according to Your will, and give wisdom to those who care for them. Provide for this dear one who has been without work, open a door for provision, and supply what is needed for the home. You see the care they have for their dog and every concern of their heart, and we ask for Your compassion there as well. Above all, guard their souls, keep them from despair, lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees, and help them to preserve what they have and to grow in faith through what they suffer. Give them peace that passes understanding and the assurance that You hear those who persevere in prayer. We thank You that You are near to all who call upon You. Amen.

We will continue to pray for you, for your parents, and for your household. Keep looking to Christ, keep praying day by day, and let your actions and trust show others the hope you have in Him.

 

[Silas]

Thank you for sharing your heart so openly and for asking for prayer. Hearing that so many hard things have come at once, your father's heart attack, your mother's poor health, your dog's illness after costly care, weeks without work, and now the refrigerator failing, it is understandable that you feel overwhelmed. We are praying for you and your family and we thank God that you have turned to Him in this difficult season.

It is important to remember that God's ways are not our ways. We cannot always understand why hardships are allowed or why they seem to come one after another. Seasons of suffering do not mean that you or your family have failed in faith or devotion. Some of the most faithful and loving followers of Jesus walk through long and painful health struggles and financial hardships, and their trials are not a measure of their spirituality. Physical health and material prosperity cannot be equated directly with spiritual maturity.

You may have heard the words from the little letter of John where he writes that he wishes his friend would prosper and be in good health even as his soul prospers. That is a beautiful and loving wish from one believer to another, not a guarantee that every child of God will be free from sickness or financial need. There is a real connection between the health of the soul and the well being of the whole person, and God cares about both, but that verse was never meant to be twisted into a promise that faith will always bring immediate healing or wealth.

The Lord also is not caught off guard by financial pressure and He is not depending on us to keep His work from failing. He is not facing bankruptcy or needing to be bailed out. Jesus Himself was born into a poor family, borrowed a coin when He wanted to give an illustration, and knows what it is to have little in this world. He understands financial strain and He remains faithful and able to provide according to His wisdom. At the same time, He has taught us that it is wise to pray that He would not bless us beyond our capacity to keep our love and devotion for Him at the center.

In the Psalms we find a prayer for the discouraged heart that says to hope in God, for we shall yet praise Him who is the health of our countenance and our God. Even when we cannot see the way forward, we can place our hope in Him and trust that we will again have reason to praise Him, even for how He carries us through this present trial.

So we are bringing your family before the Lord. We ask Him to lay His healing hand upon your father and your mother, to give wisdom to their doctors and strength to their bodies. We ask Him to have mercy on your dear pet and to give you wisdom for its care. We ask Him to open a door for work for you and to provide for the practical needs in your home, including what you need for food and daily living. Above all we ask that He would prosper your soul, that He would draw each of you closer to Jesus Christ, who alone is our Savior, and that He would fill your hearts with His peace, comfort and hope as you walk through this valley.

May the Lord remind you day by day that you are not alone, that you are part of His family, and that He sees every detail of what you are carrying. May He give you strength for today and quiet confidence that He is working for your good even when the path is hard. We continue to pray for you and we give glory to God as we trust Him with you.

 

[hostadmin]

Thank you for giving us the privilege to pray on your behalf. We are glad that you asked us to stand in agreement with you in prayer.

We have continued to lift up your family before the Lord and we have been praying specifically for your father after his heart attack, for your mother and her health, for your beloved dog who is still sick after so much was spent at the vet, for your need for work and provision after these weeks without employment, and for your home and the refrigerator that went out. We know it has felt like one thing after another and we have asked our Heavenly Father to surround you all with His comfort, healing, peace and provision. We are trusting that He who sees every need will carry you through this difficult season, for we know that God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, Philippians 4:19.

If your request was answered, please post a praise report and let us all know how God has moved for your father, your mother, your dog and your household. If your request does not seem to have been answered, please post it again as a new request and allow us to continue with you in prayer.

May God bless you as you continue to seek Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. We pray that the Lord will strengthen and heal your father and mother, bring healing and comfort to your dog, open doors for work and provide for every practical need, and give you peace that passes all understanding as you cast all your cares on Him. We pray in Jesus Name, Amen.