What She's Not Saying

Recently I was having a conversation with a group of women when one of them said that she was frustrated in her mom's group because of the prayer request some of the ladies told the group about.  She said some of the women said they wanted prayer for their kids who were potty training or having trouble sleeping at night, etc.  This particular woman felt that these prayer were request were insignificant and basically felt that if that was the biggest problem the women her group were facing then they had a pretty cushy life.

I get that.  Honestly, if I'm in a mom's group and some one says, "Little Johnny isn't using the potty and I'd really like some prayer about it" I might actually have to hold in a chuckle.  I mean really?  That's your biggest issue right now that you feel burdened to pray for?  I mean there are children all over the world being sold into slavery, but yea, let's pray that your kid learns to pee in a toilet.

Here's where God spoke to my heart and what I told this dear lady that night.  Listen to this mom's prayer request and then listen to what she's not saying.  Every single person on the face of this planet is struggling with something.  Everyone.  There's not one person in this world that isn't being touched by man's downfall.

Have you seen this?  It's completely true.

The sweet mom who just asked you to pray that her kid will learn to go potty isn't asking you to pray that her husband will stop looking at porn, but she's praying it on her own.  She's not telling you that she fears or knows for a fact that her husband is cheating on her.  She's not telling you that she's a cutter and can't stop.  She's not asking you to beg the Father that her older child will get help for an addiction.  She's not sharing her deepest darkest hurts with you.

Why?  Why doesn't she feel comfortable letting you know she has problems that she can't handle on her own and that she needs the support of other women in her life?  Why isn't she asking you to go to battle with the enemy for her?

Maybe she's ashamed.  Maybe she doesn't know you well enough to trust you.  Maybe in our Christian culture she's been taught that good Christians are supposed to be perfect and never fall to temptation.

But friends, we are to "bear each others burdens" (Galations 6:2).  So pray for your sister.  Pray and ask God to hear the requests she isn't making known.  Pray and ask God to give her strength to share her struggles with you so that you can walk beside her.  Pray that she will see that you love her and want to support her.  Pray and beg God to hear her unspoken prayers.

Then when she comes to you and asks you for prayer, pray.  Don't pray later.  Pray right then.  Hold her hand and ask God to work in her life.  Ask God to help her son go potty on the toilet and remember what a stressful time that can be and ask God to give her patience.  Let her know you care about her life and all of her struggles.  Let her feel how the weight can be lifted from her shoulders when she lets some one help her carry the load.  Let her learn to trust you.  Show her love and show her grace.  She'll start to open up and then you can show her how much you love her and how much the Father loves her in the midst of life's biggest storms.