Facebook is the source of 90% of my discouragement. 9% being impatient, 1% trying to figure out my digestive issues while remembering they aren’t even approaching debilitating and are probably 100% as minor as the doctor suggested, 90% reading Facebook.
I just opened up Facebook after briefly opening and then closing and I found these things to pray about:
- A retired police officer passing away.
- Celebrating young life.
- The American political situation.
- Ditto, again and again.
- Problems with our natural world.
- The beauty and joy of summer and enjoying our natural world.
Then the song changed on my playlist and I stopped scrolling. Each bullet point was a specific post, posted by another person, which a specific thing I should be praying about.
How do I pray for everything? If I spent time listing everything that I hear – not even seeking out but just hear – on a daily basis in prayer, I would have little time for anything else.
And I don’t know the answer to my question. There are prayers that are all-encompassing of much of that, but then why do we pray for anything specific? And I don’t pray to Vending-Machine Jesus or Magic Genie God, so listing my every concern and joy seems…odd.
I find myself wanting to come up with some profound thing to pray, some profound solution to this struggle within me, but I can’t. All I have is this humble offering:
God, give me words and voice for the pains of this world, heart and joy for the things of this creation that bring us joy, and peace to know that I am doing what I can do, in my broken state, to bring more light to this world. I mourn with those who mourn, celebrate with those who celebrate, and I ask you for peace in this world, but also peace in knowing that this world is temporary and you provide us with a new world without tears, pain, or mourning.
Please give your servants strength, please give your servants voice, please give your servants joy, and please give your servants peace.
In the name of our exemplar, our teacher, our savior, and our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Peace,
– Robby
Red Shoe Pastor 