Praying for World Events
We live in an extremely chaotic and challenging time. Not only are there all sorts of complex problems and crises happening all over the world, but thanks to technology we are more aware of these realities than ever before in human history. We are able to hear about and in many cases watch live video footage of these dramatic events as they unfold. The sheer amount of awareness and information about global events is far beyond our natural ability to take in and mentally process.
We can be left with a sense of hopelessness and despair as well as frustration over our inability to do anything to help. Yet as Christians, there is something that can do and that is pray! The reality is that many Christians find it difficult to pray about some of these world events, such as wars, natural disasters, the environment, or national leadership. We know that we should pray for these issues and we we want to pray for them, but oftentimes we don’t do it as much as we might like. In this article, I would like to focus on three common hindrances to praying for world events.
‘I get overwhelmed'
This is primarily linked to the constant bombardment of information about world events. It was in June 1980 that CNN first began broadcasting news about world events on TV on a 24/7 basis. Since that time, numerous other similar TV channels have began and with the explosion of the internet, smart phones and the creation of social media options, we are now able to be aware of what is happening around the globe, almost in real time!
I recent years we have begun to realize that as human beings, we can ‘take in’ and absorb only so much and when we reach our limit we become overwhelmed and potentially de-sensitized to the drama of world events. On top of all that, there is growing suspicion about the legitimacy of what we are told through these various digital means.
This is a complex issue, but allow me to offer some suggestions: Almost everyone needs to scale back how much news and information about world events they consume. Each of us need to be aware of our limits and adjust accordingly. If you are feeling overwhelmed by what is happening in the world, then it is wise to scale back. At the same time, we must keep in mind that it is not helpful to go to the other extreme and take the ‘ostrich approach’ and stick our heads in the sand and ignore the world around us; as Christians we need to be reasonably aware of world events, so we can pray.
Another suggestion is that we pray and listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit about how much news we consume and which needs we should specifically pray for. We cannot pray for every situation in the world, so we need the guidance of God’s Spirit to help us navigate these complex waters.
‘I don’t think it will make a difference’
The sheer magnitude of many of the events that are unfolding around us is intimidating! It is hard to wrap our minds around what is happening and the size and scope of something like the current war in Ukraine. We often feel small and wonder if our little prayers could possibly make any difference. However, we must remember what James writes to us:
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (James 5:16-18, NIV)
James draws our attention to the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18, making the point that Elijah was “a human being, even as we are”. The point could not be more clear: our prayers do make a difference; if Elijah can pray about weather patterns, then we also can have courage to pray about these larger world events.
In June of this year, House of Prayer Edmonton spend quite a bit of time praying about the numerous forest fires that burned across many Provinces in Canada. Many of these wild fires were considered out of control and there was desperate need for rain and a change in the weather conditions to help bring things under control. According to James 5, we are invited to pray about such things! Hebrews 4:16 says:
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
'I don’t know how to pray for the situation’
Knowing how do pray for some events is very straightforward: for example, when we pray about the forest fires, we know that we need the fires to be brought under control and for there not to be loss of life. Other situations are more complicated, such as the current war in the Middle East, and yet we know that our clear desire is for the war to stop, and for the enormous suffering to end.
We may not always know a lot of the specific details of a situation, but we are always on safe ground when we pray as Jesus taught us to pray: “…may your Kingdom come and your will be done”. We can pray that with great confidence, knowing that we are committing the situation into hands of our Father in heaven, who has perfect wisdom and understanding. God is not waiting for us to have deep insight about a situation or great eloquence in our prayers in order to answer our cries.
This truth is at the heart of Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
In conclusion, I would like to invite us to consider who we are praying to: our Father in heaven. Jesus repeatedly told the disciples that when they pray, they are coming before their Father in heaven.
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13)
We must focus our hearts and minds on who God is: our Father in heaven, who loves to give good gifts to His children. When we come to God in prayer, our prayers are heard, not because of our eloquence or our own righteousness, but because of Jesus Christ and all He has done for us. It is His righteousness, given to us as a gift that causes our prayers to be powerful and effective!
(Photo by Dallas Penner on Unsplash)
