May 6, 2018

Ask God For Guidance

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

– James 1:5

It was the third week in a row she’d shown up with some type of drama bubbling from her mouth. She needed prayers, she immediately proclaimed. I silenced the “don’t we all” that instinctively rose up inside of me.

She seems like a really nice lady. She does. But sometimes I wonder if she's really requesting prayer or if she just wants everyone's attention focused on her. Do you understand what I'm saying? Do you know someone like that?

I believe strongly in prayer. I do. But sometimes we share way too much information with way too many people. It's probably always been this way. Still, the age of social media just fuels it forward.

That and the old school Southern prayer request/gossip session that takes place in many Sunday school rooms each week. A prayer request keeps building until everyone seems to be sharing an opinion about poor so and so and all that they're going through. We are given way more information than we need. Of course, that wasn't the point. The point was to gossip without feeling guilty about it.

We all talk about others. We do. Don’t get all high and mighty. It’s true of you as much as it’s true of me. We don’t call it gossip. We call it sharing information. Are we sure where that line is between gossip and information? Do we even care?

There’s a sign I’ve seen on Facebook that asks, “Have you prayed about it as much as you’ve talked about it?” There’s a simple truth to that. Most of us spend way too much time talking to others about someone else and far too little time praying to the God who can make it all right.

We work ourselves into an emotional frenzy over something we can’t begin to change. We speak loudly against someone, speculating about their motives, without talking to them or asking the simple questions. Churches are no different than anywhere else. Sometimes we may be the worst offenders.

Think about it for a minute. All any of us need to know is that someone is sick, hurting, going through a tough time. That’s it. Nothing more. God knows the details. 

The only time we need to know more is when there is a legitimate need. For example, a few years ago a young woman lay dying of bone cancer. She was only 25. She and her husband had three young children. We couldn't change the sad facts but we could provide practical help. We collected money to anonymously pay the electric bill. Others took groceries and casseroles. Specific needs that were met by a community that cared.

Have you ever had people talking about you behind your back without bothering to speak to your face? Have you heard people asking for prayer and then telling way too much information? Have you been in a group and listened as they speculated and gossiped about a “prayer request” for long periods of time?

James tells us to seek wisdom from God. We don’t have to talk about our issues with others. We don’t need a pastor, a friend or another group to intercede for us. Because of Jesus, we can go directly to the throne. Why do we think we have to air everything in public? Why do we need to give our opinions on things that are really none of our business?

If you've got a problem or concern, take it to God first. Seek His wisdom and guidance. Then, if you feel the need for further counsel, seek out one person you know and trust. Gossip doesn’t solve problems, even when it’s covered in a “prayer request.” In fact, it just makes them worse.