Article
"Praying!"
August 10, 2019
Upon reflection, I am convinced that more people are praying to God than at any time in history—and not just because the population is larger than it’s ever been. I am convinced by surfing social media, reading the newspaper, and hearing the newscasts. To the many tragedies, dangers, calamities of our world, both public and private, there is a continual response of “I’m praying, “We’re praying,” or, simply “Praying.” To save time typing “praying,” there is even an emoji of praying hands. A person posts a crisis in his life, and friends and even unknown, social-media surfers comment, “Praying.” If each of those who post “praying” is sincerely praying, there must be an amazing volume and mass of prayer going to the Throne. There must be more prayer happening than ever! Please, I am not trying to be sarcastic or cynical—though I am certainly capable of being so. I’m not. I’m just very skeptical of the reality of each, most, or even a double-digit percentage of the comments “praying” representing a prayer actually prayed. I am not questioning people’s motives and intentions--well, maybe. I understand why they say “praying”; there is no better way to show compassion, empathy, love, and solidarity than to say to the sufferer, “I’m praying for you.” People do care. People do want to show it. But, does “praying” mean the person who typed it has been praying? Does it mean that he concurrently prays as he types? Does it imply he intends to pray when he gets off the web and finds a time and place (which I believe is most often the intention, one that is rarely fulfilled)? Or, does “praying” only means “I care” with no intention of actually praying?
In our culture, “Praying” is an acceptable cultural convention of saying, “I feel empathy; I care for you; I am sorry for what you are going through.” Those in crisis are encouraged hearing it. Cynically, I wonder, do some type “praying” because they care, or do they do so to get credit and kudos for caring? Our nature is so insidiously deceptive, without even processing our motive, we each could type “praying” to appear to the sufferer and all who see the post that we are a caring, sympathetic or even spiritual person. Now, please, I am generally speaking. I am sure that many never type “praying” unless they have been or will as soon as they can. I am sure that some type “praying” who fully intended to pray even if, ultimately, they do not. Then, some are harangued by an inner voicing crying, “Liar!” if they do not pray.
All of this I have mused out loud because I genuinely believe “praying” has become a convention, whatever the motive for employing it, for saying “I care” rather than a description of the actual act of petitioning God on behalf of another. This is disconcerting because, although people may be comforted by taking “praying” as someone saying he cares, people really could stand the intervention of God that actual praying, petitioning Him, brings. Beyond the kudos one receives from his friend for saying he will pray, is the knowing one actually helped his friend, rather, God did, through his praying. The one that types “praying,” if he prays, can know the tremendous impact that praying can have on those needs he commented “praying” on—and on his own life. In other words, praying will not only benefit the sufferer, but it will also help the praying one. Making “praying” more than a conventional response but an actual thing changes its meaning when you type it. It still says, “I care.” But, it also says, “I am really praying. You could use the help, and I could use the practice.” After reading this, if your response to me is, “Brother, you have a real problem. Praying for you,” I trust you really are.
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