James 5:16
Admit your faults to one another and pray
for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a
righteous man has great power and wonderful results.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
Timothy just cracks me up
sometimes. He is the world’s worst to tell on himself! He will have a
little “incident” at our house, and we will work through it and say,
“It’s over and done. Let’s move on.” He might even ask, “Are you going
to tell my mom?” We will tell him that there is no need for anyone
else to know about what happened. And the first thing Timothy will say
when he sees his mother is, “I was bad,” or “I had a problem” or some
form of a “confession.”
Oh, bless this child and his innocence!
Someday all too soon, he will probably learn to keep his “faults” to
himself. It’s what we do. We pretend to the world that everything is
wonderful…that we don’t make mistakes…that we don’t have struggles with
everything from addictions to relationships to physical ailments and
illnesses. In the words of the old Gillette Company antiperspirant
commercial, we never let them see us sweat!
We are often far too
proud to ask for prayer. This is such a simple request with incredibly
powerful results…but we just cannot bring ourselves to do it – not even
to our closest friends and relatives. We barely admit to God that we
require help! We surely don’t want anyone else to know that we are just
like everyone else – weak and SINFUL and in need of corporate
intercession.
You don’t have to announce your deepest, darkest
secrets to the world. But find someone you love and trust, and let them
in just a little. Admit to this person that you have an area where you
need prayer…and allow them to share in your burden – and your
petitions. You will be amazed at the results - and the blessings - as
you share your faith and discipleship with another.
So let’s take
a page from a 7-year-old’s book today and “tell on ourselves.” Let’s
let others see us sweat, just a little…in order that we can receive the
benefits of their prayers and support. Let’s pray for others and
receive THEIR confessions and prayer requests without passing judgment.
And together, let’s begin to heal by the power of Jesus. Are you
ready?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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