Have you ever felt called to pray for someone but had no idea what to pray? Perhaps you noticed they seemed to be struggling, but you weren’t sure what specific area of their life was difficult at that moment. Occasionally, we receive a prayer request for others that is purposefully vague to guard a confidence. Another example may be when you do know the exact need but feel at a loss as to how to best pray for the reported need. These situations can be challenging.

When I feel ill-equipped to pray specifically for a person or a particular situation, I have learned to pray  God’s Word back to Him on behalf of others. I can be confident praying for someone even when I don’t fully understand their situation or the specifics of the concern when I pray Scripture back to God. Scripture is God’s revealed will; therefore, I don’t have to question if I am praying “correctly” or not. I can pray boldly and trust the outcome to God.

In my own life, I sometimes struggle with how to pray. I have had moments when emotions or even fear overwhelmed me, and I labored to form words, much less a coherent prayer. When fear or anxiety threatens to run rampant, I take comfort in the promises found in Romans 8:26-28:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose.(Romans 8:26-28 NIV)

The Holy Spirit helps us, intercedes for us, and perfectly presents our needs to God. Because the Holy Spirit perfectly agrees with God in all things, I can trust that He presents my needs in a way that is congruent with God’s best for me. So, my imperfect and even desperate cry, “Help me, Jesus!” becomes a flawless request presented to my Heavenly Father, Who loves me and desires His best for my life.

Over the next three weeks, let’s dig deeper into God’s Word and ask Him to reveal Scripture passages we can pray for various scenarios in our lives and those we feel led to pray for! I look forward to our study. Today, I am praying for you:

 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21 NIV)

Serving alongside you,

Carla