Did You Think to Pray?

 

Last night, I was clearly in distress. Jonathan was hovering over me and asking what was wrong. I explained that I had accidentally deleted several computer files that contained important family photos. The short cut to my recycle bin had been covered up by another icon. I couldn’t find it for anything. I was desperately clicking around trying to remember how to go about finding the recycle bin without the short cut. Seriously, I don’t think well under pressure. I didn’t realize it, but I was chanting under my breath “Oh, please let me find them; please let me find them; please let me find them.”

Jonathan sweetly took control of the situation and asked the obvious question, “Did you think to pray?” I was panicking and new that if I just calmed down that I would find the icon that I was looking for. I wanted to brush him off and continue in my panicked search. But, that still small voice told me not to dismiss him. All this time, I have been trying to teach him the power of prayer – how could I not respond? As silly as it seemed to take such an inconsequential thing to God in prayer, we stopped and prayed.

I thanked Jonathan for his wonderful suggestion. I calmly went and asked for Fred’s fresh set of eyes to find the icon that I needed. Of course, he found it within 10 seconds of sitting down at the computer. I was able to restore my pictures and life was good.

Jonathan really hasn’t had a testimony of prayer. He participates in family prayer, but never wants to say the prayer. His personal prayers have been tricky. He sometimes will just respectfully refuse to say them or he will ask me to do them for him. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that Jonathan has started volunteering to say the prayer. Best of all, he has gone back to saying his own personal prayers. I’m struck by the fact that he only asks for a few things. Usually, he asks for help in school. However, he rambles off a long list of things that he is thankful for.

I am thankful that I didn’t give up. I am thankful that I chose to continually ask and remind him about his prayers without forcing. I need to apply that principle to other areas of my life.