With social media continuing to grow and grow, I see many people who were school friends, or acquaintances from years gone by encounter health, family, social, religious, or other issues in their lives and posts them onto FaceBook or other social media.
During those times, people will write about the issue and ask for prayer. I think this is outstanding because they recognize their limitations in solving the problem or issue and need the help from the Creator and corporate prayers.
One such incident posted on FaceBook was where the person asked for people to pray over an issue. 45 people replied, "Praying for you."
This got me to thinking. Do we now use this phrase when we don't know what else to say? Do you really take the time to go to the Lord and petition Him for comfort, healing, marriage, or any other situations? Do they take 5 to 10 seconds and toss up a prayer and then off to other things?
Have we come so far away from taking the time to talk with the Lord and concentrating on the person, their issue, and the thankfulness for Him hearing our prayers that we think if we say the words, God is the fix it and God and gets on it right away.
A long time ago, I learned that God has three answers to prayer. "Yes, I'll take care of it right away", "No, if I answer the prayer you ask, it will harm you and you will have learned nothing from it." Wait, there are some things you need more important or there are consequences from actions which I know you will learn from before I bless you."
In my life the toughest ones are No and Wait. Yet as the years past, I am so thankful that he answered No and also Wait because I can see now that I would have destroyed my life if he was just "Bruce Almighty" and said Yes to everyone.
So if you are going to post, "I'm praying for you". Do it! Take time from your day and focus on the person and situation at hand. The people you are praying for will be blessed because of your prayer and not just a "feel good" that will not last beyond the time when, the person asking for prayer, turns off the social media.
We all need to lift each other up to the Lord in prayer, but just make your words are sincere.