Do You See Them? There They Are!

I am struggling. Despite the way I'm struggling, despite knowing that I'm struggling, I don't always ask people to pray for me. If people knew to pray for me and how to pray for me, they could "stand in the gap," so to speak, when I am in the fray and can't find the words or the presence of mind to pray. But people don't know to pray for me because I don't ask the way I should. I feel guilty for struggling the way I am. I feel guilty for not asking for help the way I should. So, I struggle even harder. Is any of this sounding familiar?

We all battle. We battle everyday. Ephesians 6:12 says:

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." 

We struggle with stuff we can't even see. How are we supposed to do that? 

Just because we can't see them, doesn't mean God can't. Check out 2 Kings 6:8-17 (biblegateway.com is a great source, and it's always helpful to read in different versions). Elisha, God's prophet, had confidence in the heavenly army that surrounded them. Did he see them with spiritual eyes, or did he simply know from walking with God that they were there? His servant, however, could only see with the eyes God had given him at birth, and he feared. When Elisha prayed, God graciously opened the spiritual eyes of the young man and he no longer feared.

First of all, God never calls us to a battle in which He is unwilling to back us. God assures us all throughout Scripture, we need not fear, He will not abandon us. He has equipped us with the weapons and armor we need to secure victory.

Secondly, we are to pray for one another and ask others to pray for us. It may be specific to the circumstances. It may be as simple as the prayer of Elisha: "Lord, open his eyes." We may have to cast aside our pride that we can ask another for prayer, or step out in faith and share our experience with others rather than hiding in fear or shame.

Third, we need to look to our left and look to our right. If we are in a community of believers as we are commanded to be, there should be someone there willing to help in practical ways: run your child to school while you stay home with a sick toddler, make you a meal while you recover from surgery, help you with your move, pay a bill. 

The battle is hard enough. We were never meant to be alone. Open your eyes to the army fighting with you.