SCL

Sometimes I use praying as a copout when I know God also wants me to act. Praying we are called to do, but the bible is full of other action words too.

Part one of comment: Been there… done that. We are such messy creatures. When we really commit to being the church… and caring for each other, it's often not very tidy. I'm pretty good about being engaged with people. But there are times where I just don't feel like it. One night my husband and I were ready to go out for dinner together. Right then one of my christian friends called, she was obviously drunk and wanted to come over. I could tell she was distraught but in loving fashion said "hey could you all me in a few hours, we were just leaving for dinner." Her reply was "but I'm bleeding." She hit a really dark place and had cut herself and was so drunk she wasn't even sure where she was. Somehow she made it to our house a few minutes later… at which point while I was trying to get her to give me the razor blades, I told her I didn't want her bleeding on my couch… and I was only partially kidding at that point. SEE Part 2…

Part two of comment: That night she needed to know she was loved more than my husband and I needed to go out right at that minute. Over the years I've had tons of those kinds of encounters. And no matter how messy or inconvient they are, it's amazing how much God uses them in my life to remind me of His tender care for us and our common need for His love and mercy, and our need for each other.

Wow… That post met me right where I am at right now. Thanks, Jon.

[...] an example of the latter from today’s post entitled Praying that God will fix a situation as long as you’re not part of the solution: I can’t pray for a miracle I’m not willing to be part of. 2009 8 [...]

I'm gonna pray for you, and since I live a dozen or so hours away I'm sure God will understand that I am not one of those positive influences.

On a side note "being there" for people is pretty well a full time job in itself per person so there is a point where we have to rely on the community of God to step up because we all need someone and everyone needs us. I'm sure you can do the math.

I think I may be doing that right now. My friend and I have started keeping each other accountable on porn. But sometimes the thought crops into my head that I want to help him but not get too close.

And the same works vice versa. I pray for myself that I won't be put in situations that will tempt me to stumble, but then I go on the internet when I am alone in the house.

Or I pray that God will show me his love, but I don't spend time just reading or praying or going for a walk appreciating his world.

Or I pray that God would take away this whole problem that I have but I don't take time to look at issues that might be affecting me.

The whole alligning up our prayers to our actions is quite an interesting one and one I hadn't really thought about until now.

Thanks again Jon.

Good post! Doesnt’t it even feel though that praying for God to use you to help the friend would be a copout? I mean, why wait for an answer and use God as a middle man when you obviouy know that the right thing to do is to act and to love and help them. I suggest a coffee meet-up/ uni-brow trimming party as a nice way to open ip a dialogue with your friend about your concerns.

I've heard of people that do things like that. Of course, I am too busy being a campus minister who loves on everyone to do anything as silly as praying that way. But I can understand how it might be a temptation for those who aren't as spiritual as myself.

Oh, wait. Now, I think I did that yesterday. Twice.

Thanks for once again keeping it real.

Ouch! I'm so guilty of this…. Ouch! Ouch! OUCH!

In a way I guess, like most sins, it all comes down to selfishness. We don't want to give something up that we want to keep, and that very much includes our time and the energy that we'd rather use on something else – like zapping between the channels on TV. Maybe sometimes there's a bit of fear involved too; we pray that God will send Super-Christian (he exist somewhere, doesn't he??), for "honestly, how would I be able to make a difference? Me? Nooo… Surely this is a job for Super-Christian, he's much better equipped than I. Please God, send him, and I'll just go off and do something else. I'm ok at emroidering cross-stiches for Christ, I'll stick to that".

Sometimes I'm surprised God hasn't given up on me. Now, THAT's patience!

Guilty, guilty, guilty. But (and I am really, truly not saying this to defend myself) sometimes friends learn to tune each other out ("yeah, yeah, she always says things will work out") and it takes a fresh perspective to get a point across. Of course, that's probably about 1% of the time…

This reminds me of some stuff in Screwtape Letters. According to Screwtape, when people can't be stopped from praying for others, a demon should tempt them into earnest prayer for just their souls and nothing else. The important point is that since people can't directly sense and affect others' souls, their prayers to that effect have no chance of motivating them into concrete action. If the tempted person prays that someone be fed, then he or she might get up off their knees and do something about it!

First, I like how you turn that phrase about "that sinner, Jon Acuff", which screamed "or even that tax collector over there" at me. For the Biblically literate, that's a very gentle way to point out hypocrisy.

Second, I've noticed the tension between going to someone in positive action, and not doing it if you'd just be a busybody. May God grant me His wisdom when He wants me to go to someone, and grant me the ears to hear him yell "Stop!" when I'd be doing it to glorify myself. Whichever is His will in those situations, it requires Him leading…did we doubt that'd be the point?

i've notice that the next step backward is only praying for those who don't need as much "help" , then to only praying for your own happiness, then to no praying at all.

Thanks for the reminder. I'm going to call a friend tonight.

I think sometimes when I pray those prayers, it's not necessarily that I don't want to be a part of the solution, but because I often don't know how God is going to use me and sometimes feel like I'm walking in to a battle with a sling and a few stones. You're right, though. Faith is active, prayer is active. I forget sometimes it's God's love and God's power that will work in and through me and I'm the merely the conduit.

Christianity is so not a safe religion, even though we try to make it into one.

James 2:16 If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

And Paul, I'm right there with you… so many times when I pray against temptation I have to remind myself that I have to work in harmony with that prayer. I can't just pray and then go blithely on doing whatever I like. I've actually hesitated during prayers before, and that's a very revealing moment.

werd.

"I can’t pray for a miracle I’m not willing to be part of."

being a part of any miracle means there should be the faith and hope to ask AND receive and there must be love underlying all of it. i guess i'm sorta paraphrasing paul. hopefully not misconstruing his words.

Exceptionally honest post.

"How pomo of you"

OK, that has to be the single greatest phrase I think I've ever seen. That's entering my lexicon immediately!

I'm guilty of doing this, and I'll even take it a step further. I'm even BETTER at thinking up OTHER people who need to do whatever it is that needs to be done…praying that my husband (or friend, or minister) would feel convicted about the things I'M convicted about because, I tell myself, he'd really be more effective in talking with this person about their poor choices than I would, etc. It's not typically because I'm too busy – I'm just not sure what the other person's reaction is going to be if I bring up an uncomfortable topic, so I catch myself modifying Isaiah's words just a bit in my prayer: "Here am I; send someone else!"

Thank you for being so honest Jon.

"I can’t pretend people matter to me and then not spend time doing the stuff that matters to people."

You've hit on a concept that is so important to me. Reminds me of one of my favorite guiding verses, 1 John 3:18 — "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." I try (not always successfully) to be on the giving end of that.

Its easy to think that just by praying for someone you've done enough – I do that all the time. I pray for people when I say that I will, but I just assume it stops there. Then I wonder, what if I called them, or sent them a card in the mail? I know I have days where a little act of kindness would go a long way. Why don't I do the same for someone else?

I'm grateful for a God who is understanding of my shortcomings, loves me anyway, and gives me ample opportunity to improve. Good post today!

Touche.

What about the friends that run and hide whether it's from guilt or shame? How far do we pursue them? What do those prayers look like!? That's where I'm at now and would love some suggestions!!

There's a really awesome book by Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove called "Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers." The title is a big hint to what it's about. I think you might enjoy it!

That sinner. That filthy heathen Jon. What a sucky friend. I am so glad I don’t suffer from that.

ouch.

Properly & beautifully convicted! Thanks!

Oooh – and how is Catalyst going? I'm sad to not be there.

I do this all the time with my non-Christian co-workers. Yeah, I want them to all get saved and go to Heaven, but clearly there are people who will be a lot better at witnessing to them than me. Right.

I hadn't thought about it, but there are some people I have been praying would find Jesus, but haven't done anything to present Him…

Oh yes, more than I care to admit. Thanks Jon.

I am in a similar predicament…God's been convicting me lately. I have been praying such prayers for my parents, because I can't swallow my pride or take a little time to love them.

I also like how we do this with giving. "Lord, please bless that ministry. Please help provide for their needs, but please don't ask me to do it."

This is also one of my favorites: "If celebrity X or rich person I know Z, would just give some of their millions of dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars to help world causes, just think what an impact it would have!" All the while, we fail to realize what something as simple as $20-$30 a month from our own pockets would do. God's call to give and to obey is not just for the rich, it's not just for the well equipped, it's for all of us who would claim to follow. What am I doing should be the question, not what should someone else do. "How can God use me to meet that need?", not "God, how can I help you plan another route to meet that need that still lets me be selfish and not have to give up anything I like or want?"

Wishing I was more selfless and willing to do the hard thing.

..and realizing that wishing doesn't make it so.

Thankful God's mercies are new every morning and that He loves me enough to challenge me to love better.

…"how pomo of you" … the font on this site makes the lower cose M look like a lower case RN … pomo or porno … had to read it twice to get it …

When I was in my mid 20's, single and miserable about that fact, unbeknown to me a female friend prayed this prayer for me; "God he's a really great guy and he deserves a good woman, please provide a wife for him, just not me." We'll be married 15 years next April.

aghh! I am constantly having to beat this kind of stuff out of me… It is really easy in the breakneck pace of life to slap a prayer on something and move on hoping someone else has the time to handle the issue…I have to force myself to slow down and take the time to care… thanks for the reminder..

I definitely pray for people around me all of the time, with all of the good intentions, but none of the action. I'm still trying to get over the fear of actually sticking my neck out, but I've been feeling lately that it's about time I got over that fear and just let God do His work through me. I still fail miserably, but this post only emphasizes the fact that I have to keep moving forward and not let my wrong decisions get in the way of right ones I could make today. Thanks for the post Jon. It's a great reminder of the role that we are all called to play.

part of being a ninja is the commitment level…to be part of the solution…we must do what we know is the best thing for the kingdom.

I know the feeling of churning inside and getting a flipant "i'll pray for you" or some sunshiney scripture. Or laying in my hurt and pain and the pastor being to busy to talk to me.
There are times when i pray about what to say, and the Holy Spirit gives me words that are hard even when given softly. Sometimes i feel i'm a verbal nija with the words i speak. It is hard sometimes to speak truth, but it must be done. The next part to realize that it is their choice and that you cannot make them listen. There are 3 groups 1. Those that listen and say thank you. 2. Those that don't listen and say they wished they would have. 3. Those that you are waiting to make the right decision.

I literally just received an e-mail and voice mail from someone who said she had some concerns and wanted to meet for an hour to talk. I just called and e-mailed her to tell her basically that I was so incredibly busy with my job and my family all weekend that I couldn't fit her in until next Tuesday at 5:00. Yet, I had time to check out my favourite blog – and got hit in the head with a stone tablet!! thanks for the reminder, gotta go e-mail/and call her back.

This is a good post, and the comments too! Thanks for the reminder.

I often think my prayers are enough, but realize that God is calling me to pray and then to action.

I often think my prayers are enough, but realize that God is calling me to pray and then to action.

God I need to be a part of the solution since I have been part of the problem!!!Help me stay involved?

God I pray that you will help me to handle my harvest! I know that much of what I am now reaping is from what I have sown in the past and it is a harvest that I must do something with. There are people you love that I must deal with in Godly ways. Help me lord to hear from you hour by hour with the wisdom of what I must say / do to make this harvest work to your Glory. I want to continue sowing and seeing what a new and better crop can be grown for your glory. Give me strength God

Paul said: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Gal. 6:7-9).

Have you ever prayed that God would fix your problems (laziness, ect.) but also that you would be left out of the solution?
(not having to work hard for the change, or even better, why can't it just suddenly change all of a sudden and my life is now so much easier?) I have, sometimes I still do….

'after we’ve looked at our prayers and our lives, let’s breakdance in joy that we’ve got a savior who never stops saving us from our own silliness.'

love this… so good!

You've nailed me again, Jon. I've definitely been guilty of this. Although I didn't actually form the thought in my mind, if asked I would've had to admit to it. In all sincerity, thank you for being humble enough and authentic enough to share this. It was a lesson we all could use.