Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ( Luke 18:1)
During the past several weeks, I’ve grown discouraged by the limitations brought about by a recent health flare-up. I feel as if I’m not able to accomplish the things I want to do. Sickness and exhaustion are my constant companions, and keeping up with the house and yard work is a challenge most days.
I watch other grandmothers taking their grandchildren places and having sleep-overs, and I feel like a failure in the grandmother department. I would love nothing more than to be able to spend more time with my precious grandchildren, but my recent health flare has put me down on my back more often than not.
After spending the day in the emergency room yesterday and having multiple tests run, the doctor told me this flare up is severe and likely to take four to six weeks to clear up. I felt even more discouraged when I realized that most of the summer will be over by then.
This led to a me having a major pity party for myself. Pity parties are the least fun of all parties. They are only attended by one person. They serve no purpose. They are selfish and sinful. And they do not accomplish anything good.
After wallowing in self-pity for most of the day, I had a light-bulb moment that I feel God impressed on my heart. Though I may be limited physically, and can’t be as actively involved with my grandchildren as I want to be, I’m still able to hold them up in prayer every day, and that is the most important thing of all.
Prayer takes time, and it is a wonderful privilege to hold others up in prayer before our heavenly father. Our children and grandchildren desperately need our prayers in a violent and uncertain world. Families are under attack from the enemy who wishes to destroy them. Our friends and family members all have needs we can pray about. As Christian women, the greatest thing we can do is pray for our families.
Even when we may not be able to be physically present in the lives of our loved ones or serve in the church or in ministry, we can be prayer warriors. Physically we may not be able to do much, but spiritually we can accomplish huge things. Even if we are flat on our backs, we can still pray!
Prayer is powerful, and I’ve heard many stories about the way a mother or grandmother’s prayers affected the lives of their loved ones. We may not even live to see many of our prayers for our loved ones answered. I remember hearing a pastor speaking about the power of his grandmother’s prayers. He was a difficult child, always getting into trouble, especially in the teen years. Many people gave up on him, but not his grandma. She prayed, and she continued to tell him she was praying. To make a long story short, she passed away, and he grew up and became a pastor. He credits his grandmother’s prayers for being the force that turned his life around.
Thankfully, access to the throne of God through prayer is not blocked by our physical limitations. When we are going through difficult physical seasons of life, we can still be strong and powerful prayer warriors.
Life truly is about how we choose to see things. We can either focus on our physical limitations or we can concentrate on our spiritual power when going through times where our body doesn’t function like it once did.
Are you feeling physically limited? Tap into your spiritual power and know that lives will be changed because of your prayers. Even if we don’t see results, God is at work behind the scenes and our prayers are powerful in the lives of our loved ones. Physically we may feel weak, but spiritually we are strong.
Dear Joni,
I read this post soon after you wrote it and just didn’t have time to respond. Just want you to know I have been praying for you and I hope that you are feeling better. I wish I was your neighbor and could walk over and take care of you until you are back to feeling well again. I don’t think I ever mentioned this to you but I am a nurse.
My mother has been pretty sick, so I have been spending my time off down at her house helping to care for her. I am so grateful to still have her. She has been such a rock and just always there for all of us and to see her so weak is so hard for all of us. I am just praying that the Lord restores her health and gives us more time with her. He has been so gracious to have given us this long with her and relatively good health.
It is a wonderful thing to pray for others! Sometimes it is easy to forget how powerful our prayers are and how important they are in the lives of our loved ones. My mother prays for all of us everyday and I have often told her how much that means to me. I know that will be a huge void when she is no longer here to intercede for all of us. Pray is our greatest weapon and too often a last resort. If we could only see all that has been accomplished and all that is underway due to our prayers I am sure we would all pray more.
I will continue to pray for you! Keep trusting Jesus and remember He has not forgotten you! He brings you to my mind so very often and I always know I am to pray for you. I work nightshift. If you have trouble sleeping just know that someone out there is lifting you up in prayer. You are not alone!
Love and Prayers’
Sue
Sue, Thank you again for your kind words, prayers, and encouragement. I did not know you were a nurse, but I’m sure your patients, family, and friends have been blessed by your loving care in their time of need. You have such a sweet and gentle spirit, which is desperately needed in the nursing profession today. I have added your mother to my prayer list. She sure is blessed to have you there to care for her. It’s so hard seeing our loved ones suffering. I pray you will feel God’s peace surround you as you spend time with your mother. Time with our loved ones is so precious. I love how you said prayer is the greatest weapon but too often a last resort. I agree! How often I find myself saying, “I wish I could do something, but all I can do is pray.” I cannot tell you how often God has used you to lift my spirits in the midst of a difficult day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. May God richly reward you for your faithfulness to reach out and encourage those in need and for your loving service in the nursing profession. Have a blessed day, my friend!
Thanks Joni! Special thanks for adding my mother to your prayer list. I will be sure to mention this to her and ask her to pray for you as well. I call her every night on my way into work. I have about a 30 minute drive and leave my house around 10:15. She always stays up late. I called her this morning when I arrived home from work and she is definitely feeling better. I am so grateful and so thankful for your prayers. The thought came to me last night at work with many of my residents awake and up most of the night that this is heaven’s waiting room. I work in a nursing home and this is the final place before they step into eternity. It is a wonderful privilege to pray with them and to make sure that they are sure of their salvation. Most are open to me praying with them and appreciate prayer so much. It is amazing what it does for a person to hear someone lift them up in prayer. Prayer is so powerful! What a blessing it is for your children and grandchildren to have a mother and grandmother that prays for them. We will never know this side of eternity what our prayers have accomplished here on earth. Blessings to you as you recover and just know that nothing comes to a child of God unless He allows it for a greater purpose. I hope you can take this time to reflect and pray and to know that God holds you safely in his arms! You are loved!
Sue
Sue, Glad to hear your mother is feeling better. I love how you described the nursing home as heaven’s waiting room. What an awesome place God has placed you in to minister to these people in their greatest time of need. Just think how many lives you have touched by praying and being there to encourage and comfort your patients! Again, your words bring me such comfort in my time of need. Bless your heart! Thanks again for being light in the darkness. Hugs across the miles! Have a great evening.