Your Words Matter More Than You Think | Guided Prayers

Have you ever heard someone in the faith space say, life was never meant to be lived alone?

That's because it's in the Bible.

We see it from the very first community God formed, Adam and Eve and God.

Not to mention, God Himself exists as the Trinity, a community in and of itself.

Even practically, we probably have experienced God meeting us through the care and compassion of others.

People caring for someone simply means helping carry a burden they were never meant to carry by themselves.

Today, as we pray together, can we first pause for 30 seconds of reflection and think about God's faithfulness to you through the people He has placed around you at various seasons of your life?

Would you thank God for those people and his intentional care?

Next, ask the Lord to make you aware of someone who may be caring more than they let others see.

Pray that he would give you compassion instead of assumptions.

Invite him to show you one practical way to encourage or support them this week.

Maybe no one comes to mind at first, and you need the space to think through those you might know of or encounter this week.

Let's not rush this time with God.

Let's take two minutes to both listen, think, and pray.

Is there a situation or relationship or impending event in front of you where you desire to feel cared for by God through community?

Maybe you need to talk to God about the details and emotions you are feeling.

Maybe you need to pray for the courage to ask for help or let someone know what you are facing or dealing with.

Maybe you need to ask God for specific intervention or care through the people in your life.

Take 60 seconds to take whatever your heart is full with to the Lord.

Father, thank you that you care for us.

Thank you for allowing us to care for one another.

Thank you for using people to show us your love and for allowing us to partner with you and show others your love through us.

I bless my friends praying with me today and ask that you would use community, friendship, and even the care of strangers to encourage them and make them realize how surrounded and loved by you they actually are.

I pray against any lies they are believing in their own minds that they are alone or that no one would understand or that no one would want to help them.

Thank you for the gift of community.

Thank you for the times community is natural and organic.

Thank you for the times we have to work to stay in and cultivate community and what that grows in us.

We love you and acknowledge the way you wired us to need you and to need others.

And instead of clinging to our independence, we surrender our independence again today to you.

You know us best and love us best.

Amen.