Last March, I wrote a blog called “Praying for Others,” because I had so many friends who were facing one crisis or another and prayers were the only things I could send. What surprises me is that this blog, out of over 500 that I have written, is the fourth most read of all the blogs here. People need our prayers, people need hope, people need support and encouragement to help them cope with their problems. Many of life’s problems are in God’s hands. If you have serious health issues, for example, doctors can only do so much. Some illnesses are even beyond the skills of a doctor to treat. If a person needs a job because they can’t pay their bills, but there are none to be had, where do they turn? If someone is a caregiver of a loved one, and can get no relief from the 24/7 schedule it requires, who will step in to give them a break? And then there are those who, for one reason or another, have to endure and live with constant physical pain. Pain that even the strongest medication won’t take away. And they have to carry on, with their pain, and do what is needed.
We all get overwhelmed at times when several things hits us all at the same time, but eventually we can get relief. But, imagine living a life where your problems are there day in and day out with no end in sight? I know many people who, through no fault of their own, have been dealt a very bad hand in life. It hasn’t made them bitter, as I would have expected. In fact, they are some of the strongest, most caring and compassionate people I know. They carry on, they persevere, they joke, they laugh. They accept their situation, not without some frustration from time to time, but with dignity and courage. They are even there to help others whenever they can without a moment’s hesitation. I don’t think I would be strong enough to do what they do. I admire them so much for what they go through every single day with rarely a complaint, while so many of us don’t realize how fortunate we are and take the blessings of our lives for granted.
So I would like to renew my promise to pray for my family and friends, that God continues to give them strength to endure all that they do, that He watches over them and surrounds them with the love and support of family and friends always. I pray that I am able to recognize when someone needs a friend to talk to, for support, for understanding, for compassion, so that I can reach out to them and hopefully give them what they need. No one should ever feel they are alone when there are so many of us willing to listen and help in any way we can.
Let’s just take a minute to pray for all our family and friends every day so that maybe their burdens will be a little lighter because of the love of a friend.
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