Listening When You Pray

[Hwy]

A few days ago I met a Christian woman who shared some things with me that she was going through. Part way through the conversation I felt the urge to pray for her, right then and there. So I asked if she would mind praying.

She took my hand and I started to pray. Then the Lord started showing me things about her she had not already shared, and things I could not possibly have known, since I had only met the woman less than a half hour previously.

This is not something uncommon for me. It doesn't happen every time I pray with someone, but it does happen frequently.

The struggle I always go through when it does happen is over whether God is showing me these things so I know how to pray, or because they need to know God knows and sees what they are really going through. At first I sort of squelched the idea of mentioning these things to her, but they were so strong within me I decided to take a chance, and just tell her the things God was laying upon my heart about her.

Still holding hands I spoke them out by faith. I could feel her trembling as I spoke about secret things that were going on in her life. Not bad things, or anything she should be ashamed of. These were things she had kept hidden from her husband and family. Things that troubled her heart. Things she wondered if God cared about that she was very burdened over.

As we ended our prayer, and released hands, I noticed for the first time she had both a smile on her face, and a radiant glow about her that had not been present prior to that time.

She thanked me for being obedient, and expressed an amazement over how I could possibly know such things. I plainly told her I didn't know them, but God did.

I'm sharing this story for the purpose of glorifying God. It always humbles me to be used in that way, and I know it is not a sign that I am some spiritual giant. On the contrary, I was equally in awe as she was.

The only thing I did was be obedient to what I heard in my spirit while praying for her. The result of obedience served to uplift, edify, and ease the sense of burden this dear Christian woman had been going through. For which I give the Lord all the praise and glory !

Along with this I do have some questions that I hope others will honestly answer.

When someone shares a need or problem with you, do you offer to pray on the spot? Or just offer to pray for them later?

If you do pray on the spot, do you make an effort to quiet your own heart and listen for things the Holy Spirit might be trying to show you or tell you?

When the Holy Spirit shows you things about a person you are praying for, do you keep them to yourself? Or do you sometimes share them with the person?

[Dylai]

some times i pray at the time. not always tho. maybe i should more.

[lmf]

I usually pray for them later, or tell myself that I will and then sometimes I forget to. My short term memory is getting shorter, so I think I need to start praying right then and there if someone needs it. I know I appreciate when someone does that for me even though it doesn't happen often. Love the story. It really made me step back and take a look at myself from the inside.

[Tran]

Wish it happened with me

God talkin in my heart when praying

Must be strange in a good way

[4given]

How blessed you are to have been used in such a manner Hwy !

I've not had quite the experience you have. I have felt impressed to pray in a different way than I thought I might.

I do not always pray on the spot. Much depends upon the circumstances.

When immediate prayer does not occur, I do make it a point to pray later.

[Hwy]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

lmf, I truly appreciate your honesty and openness. I know what you mean about short term memory. It's a fact of aging. Which is why I try to keep my mind active and do things which are mentally challenging.

I've discovered praying on the spot is almost always the best thing to do. I'm sure there are some exceptions. But when people have needs or concerns it seems to minister to them more BY praying, than saying we will pray later. Even if we really do remember to pray for them.

4given, that too is a means by which the Holy Spirit nudges us in our time of prayer. Like I said, things don't alway happen the way they did in this incident.

Tran, having a desire to be used by God is the first step. According to the scriptures, the Holy Spirit gives one or more of the spiritual gifts to every believer. And the Apostle Paul mentioned that we should seek the best gifts. So they are something we should desire. But first and foremost we should seek after God.

[Tran]

Im gonna do that

Pray for it