The Mysterious Sadness

This is a true story.

I don't write it so that you'll think highly of me or give me special sainthood status ... I write it because I want you to see how powerfully God uses our prayers to help each other in our struggles. Here at Priscilla's and Aquila's Place, I want us to be able to grasp truths like this so that we can prop each other up.

So, this is what happened to me on Friday, a few days ago ...

I'd just poured myself a cup of coffee and had decided that the weather was nice enough to sit on our back deck, sip my Java and do my morning Bible reading and prayers.

As I opened my Bible, I felt a strong urge to shut it. I ignored the urge and tried to read. But the words just became black markings on the paper for me ... I wasn't taking them in. My mind was wandering. I couldn't concentrate.

So I closed the Bible, leaned back in my chair and took a sip of coffee, thinking about what or who needed prayers.

A new friend came to mind. Brent and I know this young lady's husband from Quest Community Church, but only recently, that very week, we had a chance to get to know her as well. The two of them came out for dinner on our boat.

I didn't understand why this girl was in my mind. But all of a sudden, I felt an overwhelming sense of dread and sadness.

If you read my other blog, Kingdom Treasures, you know that I am not the type of person who easily is moved to tears. But when this new friend came into my mind, I started crying. The tears spilled onto my cheeks. As her face flashed before me, all I could do was cry and cry.

I prayed for her, although I did not know why I should.

And when I had finished praying, the tears miraculously stopped.

About an hour later, I was checking out updates on Twitter. Someone mentioned that they'd just returned from the hospital after visiting a friend. Coincidentally, this friend of theirs had the same name as the girl for whom I'd just prayed. But I thought nothing of it and continued to work.

I forgot about the entire incident on my deck.

The next morning my pastor, Pete Hise, posted a blog entry. He spoke of one of his dearest friends and how she had suddenly fallen ill with terrible pain.

It suddenly occurred to me that I also hadn't seen any Twitters from my new friend's husband, who is fairly active in Internet social networking circles.

I wondered ... Could this person in the hospital be the girl for whom I had prayed?

I asked around, and discovered ... yes, it was indeed her.

Why do I tell you this story?

I want you to see the importance of 1) listening when God pushes your heart to pray about something in particular and 2) showering fellow believers with prayer, even if their name pops into your mind for just a moment.

I did not know or understand the reason on Friday for my sudden feelings of sadness and emotion involving this girl. You can't imagine how shocked I was to discover that she was at the center of a crisis, right at the time I was praying.

So ... what about you?

Do you pray for fellow Christians regularly? Do you take time to find out what's going on in their lives? And if you don't know them well, do you ask God to guide your prayers so that you will utter the words that will strengthen others?

And what are your needs?

How can I pray for you today?