A few days ago, I had a conversation with a friend of mine who works in one of the dining halls at my Uni. He knows I am an international student so he was curious about my family, where everyone is, and how everyone is doing. I told him that I have some family members around, to which he replied with a downcast look, “you are very lucky.” This question spurred another conversation, and I found out that he is an immigrant worker, with no friends or family around him. In other words, he is “alone.” I put “alone” in quotation marks because I believe that although we can be physically alone, we can never be truly alone because God is always with and within us. Seconds after hearing his plight, my spirit told me to suggest that he ask God to send him a friend. It was clear that despite the fact that he was a person of prayer, the idea had never occurred to him. This entire conversation got me thinking about the concept of prayer, and how we often forget that it can be applied to any situation.

Like this man, many of us already pray to God, but our knowledge of what we can pray about is limited. It’s funny because we are very good at presenting grand situations to God. Yet, it never occurs to us that if God is capable of coming through in big things, then surely, the little things cannot be a problem for Him. When you go before God in prayer, do not ever think that any topic is too trivial to talk to Him about. You are God’s child, and He cares for you deeply. Thus, God wants to know. From school, to friendships to relationships, to goals; God wants to know what is going on in your life. In the same way we are able to talk to family and/or friends about whatever we are going through, we should feel comfortable in praying about them. It is only God that can give you peace over certain situations; His word is all you really need.

Finally, there is so much power in specific prayers. Rather than entertaining fearful thoughts over a course/subject, you literally can call that course in prayer, and ask for the key to understanding it. If you cannot stop thinking about a person who hurt you, tell God that you want to move on; ask God to heal your heart. If you are anxious about what the future holds for you, pray that you will realise God’s big plans for your life. When you are confused, ask for clarity. When you are tired, ask for strength. When you are in need of it, ask for Grace. There is no prayer that God does not hear and answer. Sometimes, we think God answers unfavourably because we hear “no” but what God really says is “not right now” or “I have an even better plan”. If you are thinking about it, pray about it; God hears.

You really should listen to these songs: My Prayer(Yaweh)-CalledOut Music
Touch of Heaven-Hillsong Worship

Prayer Request: Today, we’re praying for the soul of Daniel Usman, the 19 year old
student who died voting in Northern Nigeria yesterday, and for anyone else who died
during the Nigerian elections. That God would have mercy on them, and welcome them to His side.