Is Prayer Enough?

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16b NIV). 

This is gospel truth because it comes directly from God’s Word.  I hope that most of you have witnessed the amazing power of answered prayer.  It’s one of the best ways to behold the sovereignty of God.

The Bible is full of scripture texts that encourage and even command us to pray to God for so many things – forgiveness, healing, intercession, protection, salvation.  The list seems endless – and I guess it essentially is because God wants us to ask Him for any and every need we have – within the confines of His Will. (I learned a long time ago that it’s not OK to pray that God would protect me from the Highway Patrol as I sped down the Interstate…😊)

So, given the incredible power of prayer, I do tremble just a bit by asking the question, “Is prayer enough?”  But bear with me as we flesh this out a little more.  And especially as I look at this through the lens of this ministry – being a blessing to your grieving friend.

I confessed in an earlier blog post that I have been guilty of disappearing from the life of someone dealing with a difficult loss.  And I assuaged my guilt by reminding myself that I WAS praying for them.  I’m sure God, in His mercy, answered those prayers as He saw fit.  So, why did I still have that lingering sense of guilt?

I think we can find an answer to that question if we look, once again, to the scriptures, specifically in James.

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  (James 2:15-16).

For any of you who are students of the Bible, you know that the book of James is very much about demonstrating our faith THROUGH action.  And that’s exactly what he is telling us in this text.  If we just declare to someone that they should be “warmed and filled,” or ministered to, or invited out for coffee, or any other action we are avoiding, WHAT GOOD IS THAT?

This is the reason I felt guilty about my lack of engagement with the grieving person.  Maybe you have felt the same way, knowing there was more you could do to help.

Please understand that it is never my intent to use Scripture to beat someone over the head for something they haven’t done – and that is not my intent here.  But we know that all scripture is God-breathed for our “training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), so it is important for us to take this to heart.

Don’t stop praying!  But, where there are opportunities to step into someone’s pain and be the hands and feet of Jesus, God is calling us to do just that.  That IS His will for us.