My list of people to pray for continues to grow. There is so much pain, despair, hopelessness, and sickness around us. But I don’t lose hope in God’s promises. Jesus said that we will have troubles in this world. But He also encouraged us to have faith in Him because He has “overcome the world.”
Often when a loved one is sick or is in any kind of need, I worry. Then I pray… and continue to worry. I pray some more and continue to worry. It’s easy to pray and it’s easy to worry. My goal, however, is to “pray and release.” Why is that so difficult? Our human nature has the tendency to worry. Our spirit tends to pray and release. What does that mean?
It means that when we pray, we need to leave the burden at the cross, at the feet of Jesus. We release the worry, the person, the issue, the circumstance, and trust God. It means it’s now in God’s hands. We then continue to pray but without the worry because we have the assurance that God will take care of the issue and of us.
The word “release” means to “free from confinement, bondage, obligation, pain, etc.; to let go.” It also means “to free from anything that restrains or fastens.” In other words, when we release our burdens to God, we are also released from the bondage of the worry or pain we may be carrying. Therefore, when we pray for others, not only God listens to our prayers, but when we also release the burden, we free ourselves from the weight of those burdens on us.
I will leave you today with these encouraging Scriptures:
John 16:33 (NLT) “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
James 5:16 (NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
As you pray for others, I encourage you to release the worry and leave the burden at the feet of Jesus. Pray and release!