by Betty Brock

The lady sat across from me at a women’s retreat and shared the many problems that she and her husband were going through—financial troubles, rebelling children, escalating arguments between her and her husband. I listened intently as she poured out her heart and asked for my help with her problems. On that same day a young woman asked my opinion about an ongoing health problem of about twelve years and whether she should continue with the sometimes harmful medication. My first question to each of these ladies was, “How have you been praying about this matter?” Both responses were the same, “I really haven’t prayed about it at all.” One might think that these ladies were new Christians, but they were not. They were ladies who were in prayer meeting every week, prayed for the missionaries, and taught their children to pray.  I remember my husband asking me that same question when I shared some ministry challenges with him, and I remember my  response being the same as the ladies’ I was trying to help.  And I was a home missionary having been in Christian work for years.

Later at that retreat, a pastor’s wife was talking to me about the challenges she was facing in not having enough help in the nursery and children’s church and in providing of meals. My first thought was to ask her, “How have you been praying about this matter?” But, since I had been in the shoes of someone sharing ministry challenges without praying, I refrained—probably because I remembered my not-too-spiritual prickly response when I had not prayed at all. Maybe my initial poor response was because the asker was my husband, and I thought he should have been more sympathetic to my plight. But in reality, he had quietly sent me to the greatest source of help Whom I had skipped over. My next response was sadness that instead of bringing my challenges to the Lord, I had blamed others for their lack.

Paul served with the believers, wrote letters to teach them, exhorted them, confronted their sin, and faithfully prayed for them. Throughout the Epistles we learn how Paul prayed for those he was teaching and training. If we were to ask Paul, “How have you been praying about this matter?” he might have answered us in words similar to these:

In every prayer for the Philippians I thank God and joyfully bring requests to God for them. I pray that their love and discernment would grow, that they would be genuine and without hypocrisy, that their example would be without offense, and that they would be obedient to the glory and praise of God. (See Philippians 1:3-4.)

I do not cease praying for the believers at Colosse that they would confidently know God’s will and live obediently, desiring to please the Lord.  I pray that they will see fruit of their labors and that they will become better acquainted with God’s true character—understanding what He is, what He does, what He purposes, and what He commands. I pray God will give them strength, patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness. And I do thank God for these saints of God. (See Colossians 1:9-12.)

For the Roman believers I praise God for their faith that is spoken of all over the world.  I pray for them constantly, thanking God for their testimony. (See Romans 1:8-9.)

I also do not cease to pray for the Ephesians that God would give them wisdom and a growing understanding and knowledge of Who He is.  I pray that they will understand the glorious hope that we have in Him and realize the richness of our future.  I pray that they would be fully acquainted with the power of God in the salvation of people. (See Ephesians 1:16-19.)

Why do we so often leave the most important for the last? Why do we talk to everyone except our Lord about the hard issues in ministry? From my experience above I developed a personal checkpoint which I refer to in my mind as “equal time.” I cannot go to anyone about my problems and challenges until I have first gone to the Lord for His help. If I have not talked to the Lord about the person or problem for an hour, then I may not go and talk with anyone else (including my husband) about the person or problem for an hour. Not surprisingly so, I usually do not need to go anywhere else except to my Lord.  I have often heard my husband tell other Christian leaders, “You can’t do it all yourself, but pride will drive you to try.” That same pride can keep women desiring to serve others from going to the Source of power for the strength needed for the task.

The Apostle Paul prayed for the people to whom he ministered and even wrote to them and told them how he prayed.  Have you told your ladies how you are praying for them?

Ephesians 3:16-19—That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.