Don't tell me to pray about it.

I had a conversation tonight, and I thought that I was the only person who felt this way, but I'm not so I thought I'd share with all of you!

When I am struggling with things and I call someone in need of an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on and they just tell me that I need to pray about it... I mean, come on! That is the LAST thing that I want to hear in that moment. All I needed of that person was to listen to me and to let me cry.

Don't get me wrong; prayer is a wonderful thing and it works and I couldn't live without it. And I know that it is in these moments when I need to turn to God in prayer the most, but when I am in my brokenness I don't want someone shoving scripture in my face! All it does in that moment-- when I feel I have reached rock bottom-- is push me away from prayer. When I am in that place I don't need to be told to pray about it; I need you to stop me and pray with me.

I am not saying that praying by ourselves can't work-- because I KNOW that it can, I am saying that we are called to share our struggles with each other and to pray with each other. To lift each other up in Christ. Simply telling me to pray about it or read my bible, when in that moment it can be the last thing I want to do, and then just leaving me be isn't drawing me closer to Christ and lifting me up in Him, it is pushing me away and pushing me down. Pray with me. Read the bible with me. Direct me to a certain scripture. Share my struggle with me.

It is then, in those moments of brokenness, that I need you to love me the most. It is in those moments that I need you to be there to listen to me the most. That I need you to pray with me the most. It is then that I need my focus to be redirected back to Christ, but in a gentle and loving way. It is in those moments that I need you to show me the love of Christ like we are called to do and gently help me turn my eyes back upon Him. Not shove it in my face and make me want to push away, but to lovingly pray with me, and to gently listen to me, and to freely let me cry.

And although, it is the most important thing i need to be doing; I also need someone to listen to me, and to pray with me. I sometimes just need that encouraging word or a safe place to cry.