I was in over my head at work again—it certainly wasn’t the first time. Demands of my job were mounting, as were my responsibilities as Chairperson of the Christian group. I had some personal concerns weighing me down as well. Barely treading water, I had been fighting going under for weeks and I didn’t know how much longer I could stand the pressure.
It’s hard when pressure comes from many sides at the same time.
In desperation, with tears streaming down my face, I asked for prayer at church one Wednesday evening.
“Why did you wait so long to ask for prayer?” a friend asked. The thought-provoking question stopped me cold. Realizing I didn’t have an answer was astonishing to me. Looking back, it seems absurd that I waited until the situation was so far out of control before asking for prayer.
Our Savior can move mountains through prayer. As great as my needs felt, they were very small in the hands of God. I wondered, Why hadn’t I asked for prayer?
In retrospect, there was an answer. In such instances, there is typically a one-word answer—pride. It is pride that prevents us from asking for help. We want the world to think we have it all together all the time when nothing could be further from the truth. We tend to want to take care of ourselves and our culture reinforces the idea of individualism.
There is no place in the Bible that instructs us to “do” life alone. God’s Word tells us to ask for help—to ask for prayer!
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.
Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders
of the church to pray over him and anoint him
with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer
offered in faith will make the sick person well;
the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he
will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to
each other and pray for each other so that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is
powerful and effective.
James 5:13-16
God changed my situation through the prayers I’d asked for that night. God changed my attitude with a question from a friend. Prayer is not something I seek only in desperation now, but at the outset of trouble.
Do you need prayer? Don’t wait until tomorrow or until the situation is out of control. Ask for prayer today.
Taken from Walking in Faith: Stories of Hope and Encouragement for the Workplace by Shari Harris – Copyright © 2011 Shari J. Harris – Used with Permission
Shari is currently serving as a Hospice Chaplain at Olive Grove Hospice. Shari is a certified coach who lends a blend of business and ministry experience to her every endeavor. God has given her a passion to encourage people to integrate work and faith. You can learn more about her book, Walking in Faith: Stories of Hope and Encouragement on her website: www.sharjharris.com and contact her at sharijharris@comcast.net
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