When Do You Stop Praying For Someone?
Looking for some help here. As the title ask…”When do you stop praying for someone?” I use a Moleskine posket ruled notebook to write down and keep track of what and who I am praying for. But I am finding that my list is getting longer by the day. It currently stands at 8 pages of prayer needs. Now I know that if I am praying for someone who is sick to be healed and that happens, then I can scratch through their name. That is not the issue. The issue is when someone ask for prayer for their marriage or to be a better father, etc… At what point do you stop praying for them? Should I set up a rotation schedule so I am not praying every day for the same needs and that way I can space them out so it doesn’t take as much time each day? Before you go thinking I am bragging, the opposite is true. The truth is that as my list grows I find myself wanting to pray less because It feels overwhelming. I find myself putting it off instead of eagerly praying.
Any words of advice? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Hi. In all seriousness, could you not just tell God to please include all people in your Moleskine Book in one general, honest, caring, loving prayer? I’m not religious in the Bible sense, but I do believe in God, and I believe that he’s the most understanding and nice person on earth (or above). And he will understand that you don’t have the time or sometimes the energy to include everyone by name. I read a couple posts here, and you sound like someone intelligent and creative, so you just have to come up with a prayer that lets understand God that this, and your Moleskine, is very important to you.
I know, I sound like a 5 year old when I talk about God, I’m 20:p, but somehow, when it comes to God, my thoughts have stayed the same:) And that’s good.
I’m 29 actually, typo, ahem.
Thanks for the advice Marieke. I must say it is very practical. And I too believe that God will understand. But one of the reasons I keep them written down is so that I remember to be mindful of the needs of my family and friend. It helps me keep a soft heart for them Otherwise (and I hate to say this) I become too self focused and forget what is going on with others. So although your advice was practical and a good reminder too that God understands my lack of ability, I am still back where I started.
Bnd just so you know that there is still room for more names, I would love to add yours. So..what can I pray for you about?
Hi Rod. I do think you should keep on writing the names down:) It’s important to do that I think, as it is important to not accidentally forget people you love or care about. But maybe you should just remember to read in your Moleskine once a while, to keep the thoughts in your heart, but if you pray, you just pray for your Moleskine? Plus when you write the names in your book, and take it with you when you pray, God knows who to include, and why:) It’s just thoughts. God is everywhere, and I’m sure he can read a Moleskine, though he must be busy right now before Christmas.
What leads me to the question: Who prays for God? Even if he doesn’t need it, maybe he would feel nice about that? Actually, you and your posts made me think about God more. Here in America it seems, you are either absolutely pro-religion, or you’re against it. I find that sad. Stuborn thoughts about God, or total cynicism, it’s both sad to me.
Anyway, now I’m worried about God:) Maybe God doesn’t want us to be without sins all the time (though he probably appreciates that), maybe he just wants to be liked and present in our heads?
It’s very nice that you would pray for me. You know, right now I’m working way too much, and alone the question made me feel better:) It would be great to not loose my energy, and the faith in myself right now. Serenity is what I need probably:) And, since I wrote it, I’d like to tell God that I hope he’s happy. So I’d be very honored to have a place in your Moleskine. Oh, and don’t forget to pray for yourself, too. You seem (also because it’s easy to imagine that) very important for many people, so it’s important that you stay strong:)
Thanks for making me stop and thing about nice things, not only God, and thanks for making me feel nice with the thought that someone cares about me. I really appreciate that. I posted in the past days an open letter to the CWFA. I would be interested in hearing what someone says who actually ‘works for God’:) http://paulasmuniverse.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/open-letter-to-the-concerned-women-for-america-cwfa/ Only when you have time. Marieke.
It’s a really nice thought to sit or pray with a Moleskine full of people you care about. I don’t pray, not in the church-sense, but I maybe will start to have such a book too. A book that reminds me of people I care about, and that reminds me of being mindful. God bless you and your family (I actually never say this, but here and now I really mean it:)
I have battled the same issue before and I totally understand what you mean when you say that you lose motivation to pray when the list gets so long. Here’s my suggestion, it may or may not work for you. Categorize your prayer requests by similarities (healing, marriages, finances, etc.) and pray for each person in one category per day. That way your prayers will be similar and won’t seem so overwhelming. You’ll be praying for one thing for many people instead of 4-5 different things for many people. I’ve never tried this…just something I thought about as I was reading your post.
Hey Marieke – You made me laugh out loud with the line ” but if you pray, you just pray for your Moleskine?”. That was truly funny. And consider yourself prayed for. I will add you to my list today.
Brittany – Good advice. I think I will take that and see what I can do in the way of categorizing. I can see how that would be time saving.
I’ve thought about this some and I think Brittany and Marieke make some good points.
Truly God knows our hearts and needs before we say a word but at the same time has commanded us to pray and we know from the Bible that He hears and accepts our prayers only by faith in Chirst. We should pray specifically and I think it is a good use of prayer time to pray for different things, people on different days so as not to be overwhelmed and discouraged or made to “feel in bondage” or guilty if we did not make it through our list. Christ is our righteousness. He took our guilt. In light of that let us pray with deligence but with our eye on the cross so as not to make prayer a work that keeps us in good standing with God.
Well said Adam.
@Adam [...]n light of that let us pray with deligence but with our eye on the cross so as not to make prayer a work that keeps us in good standing with God.[...], I like that sentence. As I’ve said, I don’t pray in the common sense, but always have the feeling some people simply pray and believe because it’s their duty.
…..very true.
As a Christian, I am called to be a person who is dutiful……yet my motive is what matters. If my motive to pray is to “earn God’s favor” then my motive is wrong for I could never earn His favor by anything, no matter how good a deed it seemed to me.
The Christain gospel is that Christ has accomplished all for sinners like myself, making atonement for my sins. In light of such unexplainable love for me, I must live for Him and pray to Him………but not our of a sense of duty like I am earning anything, ..but a sense of duty motivated by love and in response to His love.
I hear your concern.
Sounds like you might want to ‘fine-tune’ your prayer requests… so that you can achieve them and check them off.
For instance, instead of praying that your friend becomes a better father, pray specifically for things.
Pray that the Dad makes it to his kid’s school event or that Mom can find a part-time job that doesn’t take her away from her children.
I think the harder job, for you, is to keep up with the people you are praying for and get specific items FROM THEM about their needs.
I’m also going to say this:
Stop taking prayer requests from people you don’t know or interact with. Don’t pray for your friend’s mother’s nextdoor neighbor who has cancer. (Ok, do it when you are asked to do it… right then and there… but don’t put them on your list!)
Praying effectively includes caring about the person and BEING ABLE to help them, if you can. Does that make sense?
So… fine-tune your requests… eliminate those requests that involve people you aren’t acquainted with… and keep up-to-date with the people you ARE praying for… that should pare down the list.