Things to Pray For That We Often Forget

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Contents

1 We forget to pray for Our Mission

2 We forget to pray for Our Pastors

3 We forget to pray for Our Schools and Administrators

4 We forget to pray for Our Leaders

5 We forget to pray for Our Enemies

We all have a list of things that we routinely pray for. I am sure that list includes things like financial security, safety for ourselves and our kids, and the health of our loved ones. However, as I sat and listened to an amazing sermon this past week, I reflected on things that we often forget to put in our prayer lists, but should. I am sure there are more, and I am sure not everyone forgets these, but I do believe we should all be praying for these five things. With that said, here are things to pray for that we often forget.

We forget to pray for Our Mission

We often get so entangled in the affairs of this world that we forget the main reason we are here. We are here to bring others to Christ. We are here to share the good news so that others may one day too enter God’s kingdom. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The “things” it talks about are clothing, food, and water, basic necessities for life. And yet he is telling us not to be worried about the basic necessities, but to instead be kingdom-centered. We are to be mission-centered.

So when you pray, ask God to raise you up. Pray that he opens doors so that you may share the “good news.” Pray that he gives you the knowledge and wisdom you need to speak God’s word. Pray today that you may stay on mission.

We forget to pray for Our Pastors

My parents are pastors so I get to witness the burdens placed upon them. They are pulled in a million different directions. At times, they do not even have the time to deal with their own problems, because they are helping others get through theirs. It is a tough job and it never ends.

They get called in the middle of the night, on weekends, 365 days a year. And it doesn’t help that everyone has an idea of how to better run the church. Criticism is never far away, although those that are willing to take on the burden of a church are always few and far between.

So pray today for your pastors. Pray that God gives them the strength to continue on. Pray for their protection and the protection of their children. Pray that they may get a moment’s rest and they may be blessed and be in health.

We forget to pray for Our Schools and Administrators

I was just recently reflecting on how my daughter spends thirty-five hours of her week under the care of her school. That is a long time away from home. I was convicted of the importance of praying daily for the protection of the school from all evil. I was also convicted to pray for the principal, the teachers, the staff, and the bus drivers.

Therefore, as you consider things to pray for, pray that the principal makes decisions that are godly and that will contribute to a godly education of the children. Pray for the teachers, that they will instruct the children well and build the children up. Pray that the staff is able to provide the needed support to the school. Pray for the bus drivers, that their buses are under the care of heavenly angels and they will be able to keep the children safe.

We forget to pray for Our Leaders

It is interesting that I Timothy 2:1-2 says that we should pray for “all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” So if you want a quiet and peaceful life, the Bible is clear, pray for your leaders.

Pray today for our President, that he will make decisions that are consistent with godliness; that he will make the right decisions that will protect our country, and that God’s word may have a free course. Pray for our congressmen, judges, and administrators at both the federal, state, and local levels that they will make sound decisions to protect our food supplies, water supplies, and godly freedoms. Pray for your bosses and those above you, that God works in their hearts to make good decisions for your company or place of work.

We forget to pray for Our Enemies

One of the things that made Jesus so radically different is what it says in Luke 6:27 when he told his disciples to love their enemies and to do good unto those that hated them. I will never forget that that scripture, that idea, had a tremendous effect on Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of one of the founders of Hamas. As he writes in his own autobiography, The Son of Hamas, the concept of loving your enemy helped him move away from Islam to become a follower of Christ.

Loving our enemies is radical, but it is godly. So pray today for your enemies. Pray for that person at work that has stabbed you in the back and is out to get you. Ask that God heal the hurt in their hearts and that they will one day acknowledge the harm that they are causing. Pray for even the vilest of our enemies. Pray that God will convict them. Pray that its leaders and participants will one day see that what they are doing is evil. Pray for their miraculous transformation, that instead of being messengers of darkness they will one day become messengers of God’s love and forgiveness.

I am convinced that if we as Christians start to include these things in our list of things to pray for we will see a radical transformation in our churches, our schools, our country, and even in places far away. So let’s get to work and start praying today!

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