A few years ago, at a Hemlock Inn Retreat, the speaker challenged us on our prayer life with the statement, “If God answered all your prayers, would it make a difference in the world or just in your world?” In other words, how large is the circle of concern about which you pray?
It is easy for us to focus our prayers on ourselves; our individual needs, our family, and our personal world, because these are the concerns that are closest to us and that affect us most directly. However, a significant part of our spiritual growth, in having Christ’s nature implanted within us and being transformed into His image, is to be concerned about other persons. This concern for others enables us to demonstrate love for them as persons whom God also loves and for whom Christ died. Having our focus expanded to include other persons is not natural for us. But it is possible through the Holy Spirit indwelling our lives. So, when we pray, it is important that we expand our focus and include the larger sphere of the world that is our Father’s concern.
Examining the Scriptures, we find several groups of persons and entities about which God is concerned and for whom He directs us to pray:
- The world — “For God so loved the world”
- Our enemies — “Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you”
- For workers — “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest”
- Our government leaders — “exhort that supplications, prayers, intercession … be made …for kings and all who are in authority”
- For persecuted Believers — “I was in prison and you came to me,”
- For bold witness by the saints — “praying always with all prayer and supplication for all the saints … that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel”
- His Kingdom realized on earth — “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
- Those suffering and sick — “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up”
- Our family (personal and in Christ) — “The Lord bless you and keep you”
So, the question is: how large is the circle of concern about which you pray? “If God answered all your prayers, would it make a difference in the world or just in your world?” We can be assured that we are praying about things that matter to God when we pray about the full orb of needs that the Scripture brings to our attention.
For resources on prayer, visit our Bookstore HERE. We especially recommend Prayer: Bearing the World as Jesus Did by Dennis F. Kinlaw.