Community and Prayer
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the Earth began to yield its crops.
James 5:16-18 (NLT)
If you showed up at church one Sunday and found out we were having a service based entirely around confessing sin to one another, you might be deeply uncomfortable. You might fake a phone call or take an extended trip to the bathroom. Being completely transparent about your lowest and worst moments can be terrifying. What will everyone think if I confess those things? There’s no way I can do this!
And yet, if we want to experience healing, confession is necessary.
Now, maybe a Sunday morning service that’s mainly filled with people you don’t know isn’t the optimal setting for confession. But do you have a few people with whom you can confess your sins? Do you have even one? There’s no such thing as a lone-wolf Christian. We are called to an authentic and transparent community.
Now, you may think that all you must do is confess your sins to God. And absolutely, that’s the most important step. Only He can forgive and restore us. But when we can take that next step of confessing to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we dispel the shame and isolation the enemy uses against us. We can begin to find acceptance and accountability for who we are, struggles and all, rather than just who we project to be.
What James tells us in our passage above is that having our faith-family pray for us is powerful. This is where we can find healing. He cites Elijah, an ordinary man who loved God and prayed fervently. His prayers accomplished miraculous things, and ours can too. So, who are you praying for? And who’s praying for you?
Application
Part of keeping Jesus at the center of our lives is keeping Him at the center of our relationships. Instead of having surface-level conversations with your closest friends, ask if you can get together to confess sin and pray healing over one another. It may be a tough sell at first, but over time, this healing practice will help us as we seek to grow in Christ.
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for faithfully forgiving me when I confess my sin to You. Please grant me the courage and conviction to live authentically in community. Thank You for surrounding me with people who love and pray for me.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?