By Jacqui - One of God's Intercessors
While on a video chat the other day with our twin granddaughters, one little sweetie was climbing on a jungle gym toy and slid down with a big ‘face plant’ right into the carpet. She immediately ran to her daddy, our son, and laid her head on his chest as he held and soothed her. Within minutes she stopped crying and was soon able to scoot down and head off to play, showing us what she had learned to do.
‘Face plants’…the very reason I often find myself praying for the comfort that only God can provide when I intercede in prayer for someone who is truly hurting. Life causes many of us to experience a ‘face plant’ right when we thought we were going strong and all was well. Then comes the pain.
Let me explain a bit more. You see, when our little sweetie climbed into her daddy’s lap to be held after her ‘face plant’ into the carpet, he quite simply held her and loved her through it. He held her through the pain and his comfort stopped her tears!
I often pray for healing, for protection, and for provision for people. I intercede for others asking God to give them wisdom and guidance. But, sometimes, I simply pray for God’s comfort. Why? Because I’ve seen him answer that prayer many times.
Someone who is walking through a deep hurt is suddenly able to keep going. They feel a little better, a little more like themselves, a little more loved when God answers the prayer to bring comfort to them. Sometimes, God even directs me to hold them in my arms and cry with them as I pray for his comfort to come.
As an intercessor, sometimes I need to be the arms of Jesus and even to shed the tears he cries for the pain someone is suffering. It allows me to pray and intercede for them on a deeper level.
If you’ve been thinking you just want someone to pray for God to “fix” your situation or “get you out of it”, I understand. I’ve felt that way, too. But, friend, please don’t deny yourself the gift of God’s comfort even while you’re in the situation.
When someone says they will pray for you after you’ve just suffered one of life’s ‘face plants’, try asking them to pray for God’s comfort. You will be amazed at what the Lord will do! Try praying for his comfort for yourself today, if you are hurting or even intercede in prayer for someone else you know that is hurting.
Being held in the comfort of God’s arms truly brings the ‘peace beyond understanding’ that scripture promises. May the Lord comfort you in your ‘face plants’ today.