The Trouble with Prayer Intentions

Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant. // 1 Timothy 1:14

Can I trust you with a secret?

Sometimes I feel silly sharing prayer intentions with friends if I’m not asking God for something traditionally seen as huge, important, or worthy to be shared. If a loved one isn’t in critical condition or something in my life isn’t burning to the ground, I often remain silent at the end of small group when the leader invites us to share our intentions. And if I’m at a meeting where I do feel bold enough to voice a less flashy prayer, more often than not, I add a caveat saying, “I know this is small potatoes, but could you please pray for [insert intention here]?”

I know the added qualifiers are unnecessary. No one I know would ever critique a request for prayer, but I also know that I am not alone in this practice because I have frequently heard others do the same. And every time it happens, I find myself shaking my head, letting them know that their desires are not small and are more than worth sharing.

Now that you know that secret, can I ask you to hold another?

Sometimes I do this in my personal prayer too, which is even more ridiculous when I think about how intimately God knows my heart.

Our God hears and loves every single one of the prayers we lay at His feet, even those we think are not dramatic or important enough. Sometimes I wonder if He loves hearing those even more since they illustrate how excited we are to bend the ear of the Divine Promise Keeper. God wants us to share all of our dreams, all of our fears, all of our observations. There is no checklist of criteria our prayer intentions must meet for God to care.

So sister, now that you know my secrets, I humbly ask for your prayers.

Pray that I may continue to grow in confidence in sharing my prayer intentions with those who generously offer to carry them to the Cross with me and that I may always remember the absolute joy Jesus is filled with every time I offer my heart. And please be assured of my sharing these same prayers for you, dear friend.

May the abundant Love of Christ wash over us as we grow in deeper acceptance of its unconditional and everlasting presence. Amen.

God wants us to share our dreams. // Sarah RoseClick to tweet

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