an unexpected breakthrough

A new experiment begins today! I am convinced that this will help me make my mind return to God many times throughout the day. I’ve decided that I am going to pray for every person I see. As I pray for people I will obviously be connected to God in prayer.

As I drive down Red Arrow Highway I realize my goal must be adjusted. I cannot sincerely pray for every person I pass in cars. So I choose a person here and there as I drive along. I park, and enter the church, running into Sue at the door; I pray for her. Another person walks by the window, I see only legs, and pray for the mystery no-name person. I walk upstairs for something and pass Debbie’s office, and pray. I get a call on the phone; hey, I can pray for people I talk to on the phone! Okay, not just people I see, but anyone I have contact with. Or... anyone God brings to mind. I have a meeting with Randy; pray for him several times as we make the 40 minute drive to Warner Camp. As we pull up to the camp office Tori gets out of her car; I greet her, while secretly praying for her. I give Doc Stevens a hug and pray for him. Wow, this is amazing! I am staying connected with God in a way I have never experienced before. I few small sections of my day I forget to pray, but for the most part I was on it most of the day. Maybe this is how St Patrick got 100 prayers in each day?

Something else happens… an unexpected breakthrough. I am not only present with God, but also more present with people. I find that I love people, sincerely. I find a deep sense of care for others well up within me as I pray for them. I listen to people. I am aware of their presence. There is an instant connection established at a spiritual level.

I am ashamed to say that at times the focus of my ministry tasks can blind me to the presence of people right near me. Do you ever walk right by someone, only to realize afterwards that you ignored them without knowing it? This new experiment seems to accomplish two goals… it places my heart in a position of openness both to God and to people.

Posted on Fri, April 3, 2009 by Chris Spitters

5 comments (Add your own)

1. Sheila Jenkins wrote:: That is awesome, Chris! What a beautiful experiment! I'm going to try it, too...here goes...there, I said one for you already! :-)
Tue, April 28, 2009 @ 12:32 AM
2. Dan Deitrich wrote:: Something else happens when you pray for someone: you are forced to view them as God does, through a lens of love. Dang it Chris, I was harboring a perfectly good grudge against someone and then I had to go and pray for them! Being reminded that God loves each of us deeply (even those that hurt us) makes it hard to ignore Jesus' command to love others.
Tue, April 28, 2009 @ 1:57 AM
3. Chris Spitters wrote:: Thanks Sheila, I'll take all the prayer I can get. And now I'm praying for you, that you have a day filled with opportunities to pray for people around you.

Dan, yeah, I'm thinking of that bit of instruction Jesus gave about loving your enemies. Tough to do. Then there's that scripture in Romans 12 that says when you love the hard to love people it;s like you're heaping burning hot coals on their head. That could be fun.
Tue, April 28, 2009 @ 12:09 PM
4. Sara wrote:: Dad, this is beautiful. I love it. Killing two birds with one stone, if you look at in a weird way :) Loving God, loving others. I'm SO in on this one!! Hey, remember the days of heaping coals on peoples' heads? I will never forget when you showed me that verse in middle school. Ha!
Tue, April 28, 2009 @ 6:58 PM
5. Kaitlyn wrote:: Yeah, this was posted forever ago, but I'm really glad to be reading all of these. Chris, do you think you could pray for me? Sincere thanks.
Sun, February 6, 2011 @ 10:29 PM

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