“Thanks for listening to me. I feel better even for just having talked about it.” This expression of thanks came from a sister with whom I had a lengthy, tearful conversation. She had shared some things that were weighing on her—things affecting her family.
When we verbalize what we are going through, to God and to others, we alleviate the weight, we minimize the pain, and we lower the level of intensity. Also, when we share the burden of what we are carrying, we remember that we are not alone (Gal. 6:1-2).
When we bottle it all up, we can suffer from what I call “pressure cooker syndrome.” If we keep it all inside, the moment will come when we cannot handle it anymore and we will explode, thus creating a huge mess that we are cleaning up for weeks—all over the kitchen and all throughout our lives.
On the other hand, when we talk about it, in prayer, we release some of the pressure. We remember that we are never alone, and that God always listens. Therefore, prayer is one of the most powerful ways to alleviate stress, express frustration, rejoice, and find peace.
Prayer is one of the opportunities to deepen our intimacy with God. The constant contact and communication with our Creator, Father, and Great Physician are vital for our wellbeing. And when we give everything over to the Great I AM, we keep our eyes fixed on the Whole... not just our part.
In addition, prayer is an opportunity to deepen our relationships with one another. When we pray together, we join as one voice in thankfulness, petition, and intercession. My Iron Rose Sisters encourage me through their prayers for me and for others.
We pray about the ways in which we want to grow or bloom. We pray that God will eliminate the thorns we recognize and that He will reveal the ones we don’t yet see. We give thanks to God for the opportunity to deepen our friendship as iron sharpening iron.
We share burdens in prayer and when we join in prayer, we strengthen the bonds between the different parts of the Whole.
Thank you for being an integral part of the Whole by joining with us in prayer during our Prayer Month!