The Power of Prayer

I have a complicated relationship with prayer.

In my evangelical days (What am I now, Exvangelical? Evangelical-adjacent? That too is complicated), we prayed a lot. 
All. The. Time.

Or at least it felt like we did.
 
Prayers were long and earnest. There was a lot of “Jesus, just…” do this or “Jesus just” do that.  We named it and claimed it.
 
Yes, I learned about the ACTS way of praying (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) but sadly, I found myself hustling through A, C, and T to get to S. It wasn’t my fault mind you, I had to ask God for a lot of things!
 
I often, if not mostly always, treated God as a Santa for adults. If I was a really good girl, I could ask for whatever I wanted and I would get it, right? God wouldn’t turn down little ol’ me, right? I just needed to name it and claim it.
 
In the parlance of back in the day, I was not very “spiritually mature.”
 
I’m still not very spiritually mature (do we ever really arrive?). But my understanding of prayer started to change when years ago, I watched Shadowlands. The movie chronicled the relationship between C.S. Lewis and his true love, Joy Davidman. I don’t remember much about it but what I do recall are some words the film attributes to Lewis:

I pray because I can't help myself.
I pray because I'm helpless.
I pray because the need flows out of me all the time,
waking and sleeping.
It doesn't change God, it changes me.

 These words come back frequently, especially now.
 
Two months ago, my husband, Tom, was diagnosed with cancer.
If nothing else gets you on your knees, it’s the word “cancer.”
 
What I have experienced over the past eight weeks is that I – that we – need prayer. My pleas still go out to God…but now we need to covet prayers from others for Tom. This is no time for secrecy. We need community.
 
It’s humbling.
 
The week before my husband’s surgery, our retired pastor, Dan, asked Tom if some people might do a laying on of hands prayer for him after our Sunday worship service. We had already planned a beach get-away, so Tom politely declined. Tom then had an idea. He called Dan and asked if, maybe, Dan would pray for him over the phone after the worship service at 9:45. Dan thought that was doable.
 
Sunday rolled around and Tom and I were all set up in the hotel room with the phone at the ready. The minutes ticked away. My cynical self was convinced that Dan had forgotten. But a few minutes after 10am, the phone rang. It was Dan and he said, “Tom, I want you to know that I am here with more than 20 others to pray for you.”
 
Just writing those words brings me to tears.
 
There was a profound sense of God’s presence in our space. It was as if the phone lines and any physical distance had disappeared.
 
My attitude about prayer was again reframed.
 
“[Prayer] doesn’t change God, it changes me.”
 
Every card, every hand-written poem, every text, every meal provided, every candle lit, every flower delivered, every email, every call, everyone who was on their knees or standing or running and talking to God on our behalf, these were all generous prayers.
 
We felt and were enveloped in them.
 
I was changed. We were changed.
 
The journey still continues. Both with cancer and my understanding of prayer.
 
What I do know is that the community who holds us in prayer – no matter how that prayer is expressed – buoys my spirits even in and during the dark spaces. It let's light break in. It makes a difference.
 
Oh, friends, do not let anyone tell you otherwise: there is power, power in prayer.


Photo credit: Ric Rodrigues @ pexel.com

Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations. Though she knows it's probably got some questionable theology, her go-to hymn during this season is “Blessed Assurance.”
 
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered!
 
Schedule a meeting now.
 
If someone has forwarded this to you and you would like to subscribe to "Inspiring Generosity," click here.  Miss an issue?  Click here.