Praying for Our Needs When Others’ Are “Far Worse”
By Sheryl H. Boldt, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net
(A true story)
When Hurricane Michael swept through the Gulf Coast of Florida in October 2018, my home stood directly in its path. My husband and I prayed for God to spare our home, our city, and our state. When the waters receded, we rejoiced to see that our home had survived. Unfortunately, not all our neighbors were so fortunate. As Bert and I thanked God for his mercy to us, sympathy for our neighbors tinged our joy.
This experience has caused me to re-examine the way I respond to life as it relates to my relationship with God. I asked myself, is it wrong to rejoice when others are suffering? And is it wrong to pray for “small” requests like making a sale at work when others are praying for loved ones battling serious illnesses or addictions?
Do you ever feel guilty “bothering” God about helping you achieve a work-related goal when your neighbor is praying for his daughter to be healed of cancer? Or realizing that while you’re thanking God your house remained intact during a hurricane, your neighbor, only a block away, would love to be thanking God for the same miracle?
When we struggle with these or similar feelings, is it because we believe our needs are only important to God if they’re weightier than everyone else’s? Or that our less-critical requests should be put on hold or not presented at all – ever? And what about when our promotion comes through or our home is spared? Should we feel guilty because others weren’t as fortunate?
While we never want to disregard another’s time of anguish, we also never want to disregard the One Who knows our needs even before we ask Him (see Matthew 6:8). God wants (indeed, expects) us to go to Him when we need His help. And when He blesses us, He finds great delight in seeing our joy.
Think of it this way: Don’t those of us who parent multiple children care about every struggle each child faces? And when one of them has been blessed with good news, don’t we enjoy seeing that child’s happiness?
Or do we only care about the child with the greatest need? And rebuke the one who celebrates good news because their sibling (or relative or classmate) has suffered a loss or disappointment? Of course not.
Compassionate people want to be there and respond with sensitivity to those who suffer, especially when our circumstances turn out better than theirs. But it wouldn’t be practical, biblical, or relationally healthy to weigh the needs of everyone around us whenever we consider going to God with a prayer request. There will always be more serious needs bombarding heaven.
Thankfully, God is bigger than any (and all) needs we have. Unlike an ER physician who triages every patient and treats them in order of seriousness, God has the ability to hear and respond to every request we make – all of us, all at the same time. This is why we can boldly (and frequently) approach His throne to ask for help – and freely thank Him for His blessings.
Sheryl H. Boldt is the author of the blog, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net. You can reach her at [email protected]. 52 ls
