Back in January I had something happen to me. Two days in a row, while I was teaching math, I fainted in front of my class. The kids did great running next door to get my teaching partner. The first time, I went to see my doctor. The second time, my doctor sent me to a cardiologist. Since then, I have had several tests performed for my heart and carotid arteries.
The children were very concerned about my health and they prayed for me both days at school. Some of them prayed for me at home with their families. Some of the staff prayed with me while we were waiting for my doctor to tell me where to go.
During the weekend I got a number of e-mails from parents of my students and from parents of students that I taught in the past. I also received e-mails from staff members. All of them said that they were praying for me that I would be okay and that the tests would come back saying everything was good. Since then, I continued to hear from people that said they were or had been praying for me. I appreciated the many prayers. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
The theme for Monday, the first day of National Lutheran School week, was “Pray Together.” A quote in the packet says, “I’ll be praying for you.” We often hear that around our church and school, especially when something “bad” happens to someone. My question for you is this: What does God want you to pray about for this person? Should you pray for the person to get better, to get good test results? It certainly is good and right to pray this way; but I wonder if there is something else you should be praying for?
Here is another question: What is the will of God not just in my situation, but every time someone goes through a trial?
The reason I ask is because, when something like this happens to me (an injury or illness), I often get the feeling that God is trying to tell me something. These things usually happen when I start to focus on my own plans. For me, all too often my focus is on running and exercising instead of Him. So I humbly wonder, “What if these things happen because God wants more of my attention in living out His will for my life?”
People are praying for me to get better, and I thank God that the test results show that I don’t have something wrong. I wonder, though: Did anyone pray for me to listen and discover what God wants me to be focusing on and putting my energy into for the betterment of his Kingdom through this trial? Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 1:11, “ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”
When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus did not want to go through the pain and suffering of the crucifixion, but He submitted His will to the will of the Father. That is the key to prayer that I have been learning, and all too often I forget.
May God continue to teach us how to pray as He forms us into the likeness of His Son, our Savior, Jesus.
Photo (c) Halfpoint/iStock
