Try Praying
For us as Kingdom People with a Kingdom Purpose, prayer is significant.
A while back I came across an organisation online- https://www.trypraying.org/ They have an excellent resource, a pocket-sized prayer guide that contains a 7day guide to praying; almost an experiment, a ‘see what happens’ suggestion. It’s for people who don’t go to church or read the Bible- its an encouragement to ‘just pray’ and take it from there; an invitation to ‘draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’ The 7 days are interspersed with brief accounts/ snapshots into the lives of people who tell of how a specific prayer was answered; some are healings, some miracles and some simply an awareness that God is real like they have never known before.
Last year, I ordered 10 of these booklets after joining a home church and recognising that everyone is different in the way they want to share with others. A booklet like this was a starting point or maybe something I could leave with people I know and pray for. So far, I have handed out 5:
1) I made up a goody bag for my mum’s friend who was in a care home; magazines, some slippers, sweets etc- I slipped a prayer guide amongst them.
2) I walk/talk with a good friend who is Sikh; our topic of conversation often turns to faith or our ‘big issues’ in life. I texted her once and asked if it was OK to post her a prayer guide for encouragement. She agreed. We have never spoken of it again and that’s OK too; I don’t want to push it; the ball is in her court, but I continue to pray about it.
3) There is a familiar face at my local library; I chat to him in the bookstore too and at a community centre. Whilst we talked once, he recommended to me the book he had in his hand- I took the opportunity to recommend the booklet I had in my bag and left it on the table with him. It was an awkward moment but God sees when we try.
4) I gave one to a woman at Slimming World after finding out that her mother had recently died and she was very sad. It turned out to be a really awkward moment, I don’t think she appreciated it and avoided me thereafter.
5) I have recently given one to a very sick relative who I went to the prayer hub to pray for. As I prayed in fellowship with others, it came to me to give her a booklet. I visited, asked if I could pray for her; she agreed and I left a guide with her. She was appreciative.
I have shared these experiences because I want you to see what I have realised. It is important to pray and be guided by the Holy Spirit. Some moments where I have done things off the cuff have not turned out well. It’s also important to take time to think rather than just handing them out to anyone. Equally, it is important to take opportunities that come to us and to recognise them. Ultimately, it’s about being willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace and to share it. God will do the rest.
- Jesse Kaur