Expanding Care Through Prayer

Over the years, I (Alan) have experienced a connection between praying for people and caring for people.

Our life of serving others is richer when our circle of prayer is larger than our circle of care. The Spirit of God wants to make our hearts more spacious in our caring about others. His love will always be greater than mine, but God dwells in me and wants to pour His love not only into my heart but through my heart into others. To live the lifestyle of the overflowing cup, I must learn that God is always pouring and that I can welcome God’s infilling at any time.

The more time we spend in the presence of God, thinking of people and remembering their needs to His grace, the more we experience God’s concern for those hurts and needs. This enriches my interactions with them and gives me insight into how I might serve them. It “peoplizes” (a word coined by my mentor, Chuck Miller) my life and work.

If my heart lacks care for a particular person, God’s Spirit is inviting me to bring them into His presence. Learning to hear His heart of love for them will kindle the same love in me.

Reflection questions

• Who would you like to extend care to in your life these days?
• What would it look like to bring them into God’s presence for a few minutes of listening prayer?
• What might God give you that would become a blessing to them?

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Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash