Fearing your prayer request isn’t “big enough.”
Feb 8th by Jon“Uh oh,” my friend said the other night at the end of our men’s group, “I don’t think I should share my prayer request anymore.”
Why did he say this? Simple, he didn’t have a “big prayer request.”
After hearing everyone’s very serious, very heartfelt prayer requests, his suddenly felt small and insignificant. He didn’t want to say it out loud. He was struck with a bought of prayer envy or “prenvy.” And you hate to see that kind of thing strike a kid so young. It’s a shame, a dang shame.
So to help him, and others out there, I thought it would be a good idea to review some ways to prevent feeling like your prayer request isn’t “big enough.”
1. Go first
The reason my friend was worried about his request is that he went last. After a stream of requests that were big and meaty, his request felt tiny. Had he gone first, that wouldn’t have been a problem. If you have an inkling that you don’t have a big request, go first. Jump out of the gate as fast as you can. Hustle.
2. Don’t listen to the first prayer requests.
Go inside yourself. Kind of like Daniel Larusso in the Karate Kid. The second one, where he had to do that kind of drum thing back and forth and get into some sort of crazy rhythm to beat the bad guy. Yeah, do that so that you don’t get intimidated by the other requests.
3. Say your prayer request impossibly fast.
Do it like the guy in the Micro Machine commercial. Say it so fast that no one can hear it and judge it’s wee little size.
4. Act it out.
If you’re worried your request doesn’t feel very legit, create a dramatization like they use on shows like America’s Most Wanted. Use fake mustaches for the different characters and accents as well. Really explore the “fourth wall” of communication.
5. Use all 5 senses.
Take a page out of the Disney handbook and engage all five senses. Disney does this with their ride, “Soarin” in which you watch an Imax size screen and feel like you’re flying. When you go over an orange grove, you smell oranges. A river? You get splashed. Do the same thing. Got dumped while eating a cookie and need some prayer? Back chocolate chip cookies in your house like Real Estate Agents. Was it raining outside when you lost your job? Bring a little spritz bottle and squirt people in the room as you share your request.
I suppose you could always not care about the “size” of your prayer request. I suppose you could instead see your request less as a competition and more as a chance to reach out to a loving God who longs to communicate with us. That’s definitely one angle you could take. Then again, that micro machine angle sounds fun too. At the end of the day, it’s really a toss up.
Have you ever felt like your prayer request was too small or insignificant?
Comments
Love the third one, that's a crack up. Sometimes I talk that like, so fast that no one has any idea of what it is that I just said. From that I can tell who amongst my listeners cares about me, ie, they ask me to repeat it, LOL.
Great conclusion too. God asks us to pray without ceasing, and to cast all of our anxieties upon Him. He never said to only mention the BIG ones.
Absolutely — it brings out the guilty girl in me! Why should I pray for my own peace of mind, or ability to deal with the "stress" of my life, when so many are suffering in Haiti, or fill in the blank?
That said, even "small" prayer requests feel better than empty, dry prayers, which is sort of what I am tossing up lately. Not sure why that is…but now I'm getting way too serious…
i feel like this all the time!
sometimes i want to shout out loud, just because i don't have a "serious" prayer request doesn't mean i'm less spiritual or not prayerful enough.
but then again, your approach sounds like a good tactic for next time.
We have a spiritual camp (06.11-06.13.2010). To the camp comes people who are alcoholics or drug addicts. I hope, that you praying that Jesus saves, heals and frees them. And that all will go well.
how about a post all about "unspoken" prayer requests? is it just me or do those drive people nuts? i cant focus on anyone else's request because i want to figure out what the unspoken-er is thinking about!
To answer your question, since you're dying to know and twisting my arm, my answer would be No, there is nothing too small. Heck (that was such a Christian thing to say!), the other day I prayed for deliverance of my two year old daughter; the deliverance of her poop, actually. You had a toddler and I don't need to explain any further.
But, before worship practice one day, a band memeber DID request this: (his words not mine) "We're going to Cancun in four weeks and I still don't have my six pack. I'd really like one, so can we pray that I get one?" He was dead serious too. I almost jumped up and said "The Marines have a saying. You can *poop* in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up faster." (but I really wanted to say the real word that starts with S). I didn't. Thank the Lord for deliverance!
Look at that, I talked about two separate events and both involved poop. Adios!
I must admit to being one of the ones that, in times past, has made people feel like their prayer requests weren't "big" enough. I had just finished an emotionally stirring request about how my mother had just been arrested, through no fault of her own, and was now in some HUGE trouble over a rediculous misunderstanding. There was not a dry eye in the place. Then the next guy offered some request about needing to sell his PT Cruiser over the next couple of months, and the whole room gave kind of a collective sigh, as if to subtly remind him of the prayer request rules- that requests must be given in order of increasing intensity and importance, or must be left out altogether. I feel bad about that to this day…
Humble Request Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ Pls Pray for me as i am undergoing Financial crises i need good job so pls do Pray for me. i have to take care of my Wife and 2 Childrens i have to repay some loans i have to pay School Fees for my Childrens if any of you feel like Helping me pls do my lord Jesus will you. My e-mail clary_santhosh@yahoo.in Thank you Clary
Please, remember Shule and me in prayer for a relationship miracle for us both, that we be reconciled for the glory of God, Please pray for a restoration of the relationship and that it become the relationship that God wants it to be. May He open up the lines of communication so that He is honored by the peace and love between Shule and me. May I be open to hear how God wants me to act and speak to Shule. May the relationship be a blessing to us both. May He be between Shule and me, filtering every word, every action, every thought.
Also, please, hold Shule before You and ask that You draw near to him so that he becomes aware of Your Presence too. Let this time apart be a time of healing and renewal. Cause him to desire a reconciliation and make contact with me.
Lord, please restore the relationship between Shule and me, making stronger than it ever was before. Bless us with many healthy children, who will grow up knowing You.
In Jesus' Name
Kaca
need a 3 bedroom rental house between 600-650 a month rent, no deposit, application fee required, move-in special, with 2 baths..before jun 1st, and that the lease agreement I am in now will easily be broken without any paying penalties required. Moving service that will be in the range of 150 to move my entire household belongings and they will accept a chow/mixed dog. Thank you
I think everyone has prayers that go from one extreme to the other….
small, selfless, noble, materialistic, success, comfort, health, answers, the list goes on and on.
Doesn't matter how small or large the prayer is. If you can pray sincerely in Jesus' name, then believe that it will be answered.
Please, remember Shule and me in prayer for a relationship miracle for us both, that we be reconciled for the glory of God, THAT HE WILL BLESS OUR REUNITING!
SOMETIME IT TAKES THE SEPARATING TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE MEANT FOR ONE ANOTHER, SO please PRAY THAT GOD WILL QUICKEN SHULE'S SPIRIT AND OPEN HIS HEART, FATHER GOD, SO THAT THIS WILL BE WHAT YOU HAVE COMMANDED, PRAY THAT YOU WILL UNITE US IN LOVE, PRAY THAT THERE IS NO OTHER INVOLVEMENT. THAT US, TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR WAY FROM ONE ANOTHER, AND THAT YOU HAVE ORDAINED US TO BE ONE
Lord, please restore the relationship between Shule and me, making stronger than it ever was before. Let our relationship grow, with You as it's solid foundation. Strengthen the communication between us and hold us in Your Love and care, leading us towards marriage and a lifelong commitment. Bless us with many healthy children, who will grow up knowing You.
In Jesus' Name
Kaca
i always encourage my kids to speak out for prayer request. (i teach 3,4,and 5th grade). i tell them if it's important to you it's important to God. we've prayed for everything from a sick/dying pet to getting good grades in school to asking God for help with not strangling a sibling. some of the funnier ones i remember one of my fifth graders wanted prayer for a calf he was raising for 4H. another wanted us to pray for her sick goldfish. one of the more touching ones was the loss of the family cat. she wanted us to pray that her family would get peace for loosing it and that God would send another to help fill the hole.
Please, join me in prayer as I pray and fast for healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation with a dearly loved person to me. Please, lift Crystal and me in prayer and bring us unto the Throne of God at His feet to be united again in friendship by the Holy Spirit. She is Christian also, so I’m praying that the Lord who is a Father to both of us will speak to her, as if we were physically in front of His Throne, and reconcile us. It’ll take a miracle since a lot of it was my fault, and all bridges are burned and she believes she has no wrong in it, but our God is the God of miracles, so I’m asking the Lord for a miracle… Matthew 18:19 — In faith, I trust His words…
[...] So to help him, and others out there, I thought it would be a good idea to review some ways to prevent feeling like your prayer request isn’t “big enough.”… (read the rest and more here) [...]
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my brothers name is mehdi he needs the presence of god he is dpress please pray for him
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my brothers name is mehdi he fell in love and he needs some money
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My brothers name is MEHRDAD he is under the pressure of satan please pray for him
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To be free of persecution,healing,protection,prosperity,blessing,fire of Holly Spirit must come on evil , devil, and bad things againts pastor Thierry in Jesus Name .miracles in finances,miracles to have good job and work,miracles in pastor Thierry ‘s life in Jesus Name.
Please pray for me. I thank you so much. Please pray for my immediate and continued success in a business/and website Im building now……that a woman….that for whatever reason…she and I grew apart….that we are reconciled….and that a really (I cant explain…..just crazy) legal matter that happened to me (nothing to do with my previous request)…that they immediatley just close it. Thank You!!
It seems praying in groups can be a mindfield of potential awkward moments
Hey Jonathan, not sure if you've heard of my Christian Comic, but you might get a laught out of it as well, especially this comic on 'praying': http://searchingforgrace.com/comics/the-standard-...