Prayer Helps Us Love as Christ Loves 

On Thursday, May 2, thousands of people will gather in unified prayer for our nation during the National Day of Prayer. It’s a tradition more than 65 years old and fills my heart with gratitude for the freedom I have to openly pray for our nation. 

In preparation for this year’s events, the National Day of Prayer team prayed, fasted, and sought God’s heart for 2019’s prayer focus. The Lord gave them John 13:34, “Love one another. Just as I have loved you.” 

As I reflected on these words from Jesus, I took a look at my own motives towards giving. Generosity is the key to fulfilling this command, but there have been times when I’ve given out of guilt, pressure, or reluctance instead of love. Those gifts still met a need and blessed the receiver, but I missed out on God’s joy.  

Why was this? First, I didn’t pause, pray, and listen. Second, I didn’t have clarity on my purpose. But thankfully that’s changed.  

Through my journey with Women Doing Well, my prayer life and thoughtfulness towards giving have grown deeper. God often uses the tools from Women Doing Well experiences to affirm and direct my giving. These tools prompt me to pause and ask, Lord, is this on purpose for me?  Or when a giving opportunity comes my way and I feel a lack of peace, I’m quicker to ask, Lord, is this tension from a scarcity mindset or wrong belief? 

I now have joyful confidence even in the most challenging giving situations. Most of all I have found the freedom to love as Christ loved. 

Sometimes this looks like giving uncomfortably in a transitional season with a lot of financial unknowns, giving my time to those who have messy and broken life situations, or giving my talents to help others grow their God-given dreams for building His Kingdom. 

Does your heart break like mine for the healing our nation so desperately needs? His love is what heals the world and His loving generosity expressed through our lives is the plan He has for accomplishing this.  

Wherever you find yourself May 2, stop and pray that a wave of generosity will ignite and spread throughout our nation, resulting in a love for one another like Christ loves. 

Learn more about the National Day of Prayer and find a gathering in your area.